Last month, we had the pleasure of premiering the single “Sister Jane“, from Seattle-born now Naarm/Melbourne-based group The Rayes. Today, we are back at it, premiering “Bat’s Wing”, the final single from their upcoming EP, Limb Pulled Taut.
The track opens gently, reminiscent of the great Nick Drake, wistfully with a melancholic tone, as it sets the scene with vivid imagery: “Thoughts roll by like leaves on a stream / Underneath a bat’s wing / You feel it too”.
Sweet harmonies kick in with the bass line, and at the halfway point it becomes a little more jaunty, bringing in the electric guitar and drums. The trajectory from sweet delicate acoustic to its riotous conclusion is masterful.
Leading the way on acoustic guitar, bass and lead vocals is Jordan Stobbe, with her sister Rebecca Stobbe on electric guitar. Guy Perkins is on drums with harmonies from Rebecca and Guy.
About the track, Jordan writes: “The fruit bats that fly in giant colonies over the city in Melbourne have always been absolutely mind-blowing and entrancing to me, so this theme laid the groundwork for the lyrics in Bat’s Wing. The song became a calm urging to take a leap of faith — just as a bats’ flight can look erratic, but we know the destination is determined. The lyrics describe desert scenes, ghost whispers, a life in orbit, all to describe the intermixing of fear and faith when big decisions come knocking. I had just returned from a road trip to regional South Australia when I began writing ‘Bat’s Wing’, and I think the dusty outback setting really played a part in the feeling and emotion portrayed in the song.”
Their upcoming EP, Limb Pulled Taut will be released on the 27th of September. The songs on the record were largely recorded live in the Naarm-based studio Rat Shack, by Robert Muinos (Julia Jacklin, Didirri, Nat Vazer, Rowena Wise). The band will be launching the EP at The Bergy Bandroom in Brunswick on Thursday, the 10th of October. You can buy tickets HERE. Do get along and support live music.
In the meantime, Enjoy this exclusie premiere of “Bat’s Wing”, ahead of its release this Friday.
You can keep up to date with The Rayes via their website, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Spotify and Apple Music
Header image credit: Marcus Coblyn
