Ahead of Bradley Riot’s upcoming full-length titled Dark Side of the Road, Dying Scene is pleased to bring you the second single titled “Port to Port”, an introspective tale of a great journey, not across seas to new lands, but of finding one’s self through first giving in to, then later abandoning, self-destructive behavior.
“‘Port to Port” is a song about being stuck in a loop of repeating the same negative habits, specifically when it comes to love. It’s about seeking external solutions for internal problems,” wrote Bradley. “I’d say one of my favorite lyrics in the song is: ‘I’m setting course for blacking out.’ It equates to me completely giving up and leaning into defeat, setting the intention of ignoring the issue instead of trying to solve it.”
One thing that’s become much more apparent since the Covid shutdown, at least in my own musical bubble, is the introspective nature of music both written and recorded during that time. Although as a concept this is nothing new, especially in the realm of punk-rock, when the world is forced into solitude, music lacking outward-looking themes is almost inevitable. I’ve found myself paying far closer attention to this idea, and usually try to question any artist I’m lucky enough to interview (Adrienne Rae of Plasma Canvas, Matt Goud of Northcote). Bradley was no different, and offered some unique insights that most likely resonate with much of what the punk-rock world was struggling with at that same point.
“Covid was definitely a major hurdle,” wrote Bradley. “I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve had to postpone recording sessions in order for someone to get well or test negative. It was a massive time killer.”
He then explains some of the other hurdles that were faced in writing and recording Dark Side of the Road, while also dealing with the overarching headache that was and still is Covid. Writing while simultaneously recording was highlighted, something that since talking with Sam King of Get Dead and Codefendants has become a trait I greatly admire. But the third struggle Bradley listed, that of sobriety, was what really amped me up and got me excited to hear the portrayed journey throughout this new record.
“Many of the vocals were sang between swigs of Jameson or after a night of heavy cocaine usage. Sometimes, that made for a fun vocal texture, but, more often than not, it was just problematic. After I decided to get clean, we revisited the album as a whole, took it back to square one, and I re-sang almost every line. Approaching the songs with a different mindset really opened them up and I’m grateful for (co-producer) Kevin Besignano’s compassion towards the process.”
In the short back-and-forth I’ve had with Bradley, “Port to Port” seems like a much more focused, direct version of what the full-length hopes to portray: “the idea of being a victim to oneself”.
Check out the brand new single below, and keep your eyes peeled October 13 for the full-length release of Dark Side of the Road.