Returning To The Scene, Catfish and the Bottlemen Reveal An Astoundingly Personal And Encouraging New Single

Releasing their first new musical venture for five years, ‘Showtime’, the indie-rock band Catfish and the Bottlemen astound international listeners. Before their hiatus, the band were at the peak of British culture on the musical scene; their first headline gig for Reading and Leeds festival took place in 2021 before doing the same at the Neighbourhood Weekender festival in Warrington that year. This all took place just two years after the release of their most recent album ‘The Balance’, a beautiful fusion of alternative rock and post-punk revival.

With the disbanding of previous members leading to this temporary suspension, the band’s return has been highly anticipated but impossible for fans to guess. That is, until recently. With the announcement of them headlining Reading and Leeds once more this year in conjunction with a teasing trailer on their Instagram page, this new single ‘Showtime’ is arguably the most awaited piece of music on the British rock scene for a long while. 

Opening with their signature low, repetitive guitar riff underneath the perfectly pitched vocals of lead singer Ryan Evan ‘Van’ Mcann, it is immediately a statement of power and passion. The artist sings the lyrics of “Sold my voice for a long weekend/ You bet it was worth it” to allude to this idea of sacrificing something for an escape. Straight away, we are greeted with this dichotomy of the value in working versus the importance of pleasure and enjoyment. 

As the song continues, the story of the single develops with the melodic, complimentary instrumental. Listeners are presented with the lyrics “And the thing you love is right in front of your eyes/ Don’t blink or miss, it’s your time”, an empowering encouragement of following your heart over your head. The temporary nature of even having the chance to choose something that fills hearts with passion is laid out to listeners here, whilst encouraging them to grasp it with both hands. The message is beautifully personal to the band, and the execution impeccable.

Ending with a much slower tempo with an almost melancholic feel, this single is truly one of the greatest of its time. It engages with the importance of self-belief, self-confidence and the ability to walk through the negativities of life with a passion-enduring mindset. Whilst greatly anticipated, the track is the furthest thing from underwhelming and listeners are overrun with joy over it. 

Abby Tapping

@abs.tapp75

Image: ‘Showtime’ Official Single Cover