Income & lifestyle disparities are broadening daily, particularly for Generation Z’s reaching their early stages of adulthood. Some are buying houses, some are off on 3-month jaunts to Europe & some are content to stay put; but this can lead to an overwhelming feeling of not being where you “need” to be.
In ‘I’m So’, The Tullmarines bravely face this feeling head on, with their unabashed tongue-in-cheek sprinkles of irony throughout. Singer Angus Purvis is proud & even excited in the claim that it’s okay to feel this way & “perhaps even a little more fun”.
Working from a slew of fun voice memo demos, found in their phones from a previous jam session, ‘I’m So’ came together quickly, with the band wanting to capture the unhinged spirit of the initial jam, letting its energy & spark shine through in the final track.
With a tight deadline, the final chorus was written minutes before recording vocals for the track. Bassist Lucinda Machin tracked the song out at Forest Range Studios in the Adelaide Hills, before having it mixed by Ben Waltho, Josh Thomas & Michael Cutayar (Amy Macdonald, Orchards), with mastering handled by Filippo Cimatti (Jeff Beck, Bones).
“This is a song about feeling a little bit lost, a little bit useless and a little bit like a waste of space. It can be very easy in your early 20’s to get overwhelmed by life, not knowing where you’re going or whether you’re working hard enough. Doom scrolling on social media and seeing old school mates buying houses and getting married makes the thought “man, I really need to get my s**t together” hard to avoid. But it’s ok to feel this way, normal in fact, and perhaps even a little more fun. These are the ideas that formed ‘I’m So’.”
Angus Purvis, The Tullamarines
With ‘I’m So’ out now, the band have also announced their highly anticipated EP ‘Ugly Cry’, set for a release later in the year. Inclusive of previous single ‘Never Do That’ & current single ‘I’m So’, ‘Ugly Cry’ explores early adulthood through love, heartbreak, growth & bewilderment.
“Ugly Cry, our first EP, is a collection of songs we are really proud of written in 2022 and the beginning of 2023. It depicts our experience of early adulthood through love, heartbreak, growth, and bewilderment. With all songs produced ourselves and 4/5 mixed ourselves. It’s been an excellent opportunity for us to explore new elements of our sound. From lovers of folk to pop to indie-rock bangers, we truly believe there’s something for everyone in Ugly Cry.”
Angus Purvis, The Tullamarines