Going ‘Down and Out’ With Sixth Day: A Deep Dive Into Their Latest Anthem

Close to two years have gone by since Alex, Sam, Hugh, and Joe decided to form their band Sixth Day with musical influences of Joy Division, The Black Keys, Fontaines D.C and many more. Over this period, the four Mancunians have achieved a lot, including the release of two singles, their tracks being featured on major radio stations like BBC Radio Manchester or Amazing Radio and a sold-out debut show at Gullivers, followed by many successor shows that were sold-out as well.

We will now have a closer look at the lead single "Down and Out" from their upcoming EP.

The Tune kicks off with a raw electrical guitar, accompanied by the vocals coming in twenty seconds later, until the drums join shortly after. The guitar and the drums harmonize amazingly, complementing each other without overshadowing the other, which makes the song pretty pleasant to listen to as it is balanced, and the listener does not have to pay more attention to one than to another.

The instrumental gets heavier and more powerful while transitioning from the pre-chorus to the chorus, leading into an instrumental break that transitions to a cappella, which puts the sole focus on the vocals for a split second halfway through the track. Closely to the end, there is another instrumental break which is followed by vocals once again seconds later that changes the dynamic ever so slightly, which might seem a bit underwhelming but was actually executed perfectly as for what is about to come next. This section built up to what is, for me personally, the climax: the outro. It features an amazing guitar riff complemented by heavy drums, without vocals, focusing solely on the sound itself.

If you think the song is great based on its sound alone, the lyrics add a whole new aspect to the listening experience. This becomes particularly noticeable if you pay close attention to the first and second verses. They feature recurring phrases “I don’t believe it [...]” and “I think [...]” or “I thought [...]” which explicitly illustrates the narrator's disbelief, delusions and the emotional turbulence of love and loss. The endless cycle of this complicated love is highlighted by frequent references, such as the repeated use of the word “again” and the line “I heard it all a year ago” in the chorus. These elements point out the song's theme of being trapped in a continuous state of emotional distress.

Overall, it is a well-produced song in which the sound and lyrics are co-dependent on each other to tell the story effectively. It was released at just the right time, as this song is perfect for a late summer night or an early winter morning.

With its timeless rock-star sound that everyone enjoys, it is going to be a favourite this year.

For more information on upcoming shows and the band, check out their social media pages.

Words: Leja-Josephine Beckmann

Image: Em Nicholson

“Our new single ‘Down and Out’ is a call-out to anyone that can’t stop falling in love over and over again. This song doesn’t recount the stories of a happy, seamless love however and instead a love that is reluctant, even shameful and the over-arching feeling towards it best described in the opening lyric ‘I don’t believe it I think I love you again’. The song is about a love that’s tainted, ubiquitous but will inevitably hurt you and while you know that and no matter how hard you try to fall out of it, you always succumb to the feelings that brought you here in the first place. Much like the energy of the song, the lyrics describe a fast love, a harsh love, a love that instead of leaving you at peace, leaves you ‘Down and out’.”

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