Steph’s DJ pick of the week is “New York, Let’s Do Nothing” by King Hannah!
King Hannah, consisting of Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle, just put out their sophomore album Big Swimmer. The album has already received much praise. It has been compared to the sounds of Hope Sandoval and Courtney Barnett among others. With collaborators like Sharon Van Etten, Big Swimmer has already made quite a splash. Big Swimmer is a reflection of the Liverpool duo’s travels on tour. From experiencing new countries through the window of a van to sharing the stage with music icons, this album captures it all.
“New York, Let’s Do Nothing” is a homage to one city the duo fell in love with on tour. The band describes their single as, “A song about our time spent in one of our favourite cities in the world and some of the ordinary things we did while there.”
King Hannah captures the feeling of enjoying the mundane in cities that feel larger than life. The exhilarating energy of New York comes alive through their inspired retelling of a humdrum day in the city. This song details boring things like an interview and getting coffee. These simple encounters become symbols of what makes New York special to King Hannah.
Merrick’s humorous yet melancholic opening lyrics perfectly encapsulate the culture of the city, “I was at a sit-down interview / I remember telling fibs about what I knew /He said, ‘So tell me something about you’ /I said, ‘Well I’m a singer, musician too’ /He said, ‘Oh no, not another one’/ Rolled his eyes and moved on“.
With Merrick’s intoxicating voice and candid monologues accompanied by Whittle’s grungy guitar, it is easy to lose yourself in this song.
This song is silly and sentimental, beautifully capturing the complex emotions of experiencing new places away from home. Listen for yourself below!
Tune in to 100.1 FM or lightning100.com all day to hear “New York, Let’s Do Nothing” by King Hannah, Steph’s DJ Pick of the Week! Share your thoughts on the track by tagging #L100DJPicks on Twitter!
