Written by Brandon George
Following the release of their EP “Papaya” in September of last year, New York Indie-Alternative band Spitphyre have released a new ska-infused track, “Melodia.”
The song begins with distorted audio, followed by an electric guitar that wavers and jangles with each strum while singer Jon Thomas pulls emotion from his very core.
Thomas cries out, “Yo no ero los gringos en la ciudad / Pero los gringos no tienen problemas su la policía.” It’s a fierce, damning statement that sets the tone for the rest of the song.
The full band enters with boundless energy. This newest single continues the band’s mission statement of putting passion and relevance into every bar. The guitars scratch, the bass bounces, the drums shuffle. The production is unignorable, calling to mind the energy of basement shows spent bounding around in unison.
Much like the self-titled single off “Papaya,” “Melodia” is a pridefully political song. Thomas deftly spins between Spanish and English while delivering a consistently unflinching and furious condemnation of racism and settler-colonial violence.
Thomas critiques the tokenization and fetishization of musicians of color, invokes the subjugation and destruction of the Aztec and Mayan empires, and incorporates Spanish to deliver a slew of insults that feel equally viscous and tongue-in-cheek; including the delightful, “tú eres mi favorita idiota.”
The song closes with a sultry guitar solo that not only shows off Thomas’ skill, but also allows drummer Jake Valois to unleash, becoming more active and spirited as the song comes to its close and the band crashes into the final note.
“Melodía,” as well as the rest of the Spitphyre discography, can be found on your preferred streaming service!
You can keep up with the band by following them on their Twitter @spitphyreband! While you're there let us know what you thought of this awesome track by tweeting us at @lgndsoftmrw!
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