Step Back To The Good, The Bad And The Memories: sad films and ‘Exchange Pleasantries’

Salfordian singer-songwriter sad films has released his debut full-length EP ‘Exchange Pleasantries’. The EP delves into various aspects of time, capturing the experience of falling in love and the ordinary moments of life. 

sad films is the alter-ego and solo project of Dan Lucas. This venture enables Dan to distinguish the mundane from the surreal, immersing himself in the creative process to explore narratives and themes with eccentricity and intricacy, to offer listeners a refreshing take on indie pop.

The EP’s lead single and opening track ‘Past Tense’, draws inspiration from The Smiths, particularly in its complex and captivating rhythmic guitar arrangement that pays homage to Johnny Marr. The track features a fast-paced, upbeat tempo with a pounding drum perfectly echoing the themes of time and memories with a sense of longing. sad films skillfully crafts a narrative about a time machine, symbolising a desire to revisit the good times, though acknowledging that with the good comes the bad. This is reflected in the lyrics: “You’re my hurricane in every way you care to name…You’re my tooth decay, never ever far away…you were mine to wonder where you go.” 

‘S.O.S’ begins with a bouncy bass arrangement, complemented by a subtle synth that perfectly mirrors sad films’ sombre vocal style. This delicate instrumental gradually builds into an explosion of funky, upbeat harmony between bass and guitar, creating contrast with the reflective earnest lyrics focused on escaping the mundane. An example of these lyrics is: “Debating if I could drink a beer at five. Tax-free shades, perfume sprays and a gang of rowdy guys. So I’ll wait there until I spy you waving high…”

‘Piggy’ and ‘Tokyo (Jet Lag Diary Entry #1)’ both cleverly introduce a completely different pace to ‘Exchange Pleasantries’ with its simple structure and pacing, led by a stunning acoustic guitar, subtle string instruments, and a soft drumbeat and slow tempo. These elements combined enhance sad films’ emotive performance, inviting the listener in and showing vulnerability. The song paints a bittersweet picture of a relationship reaching its natural conclusion and takes a moment to reflect, as conveyed in the lyrics: “Can’t put a price on that smile if  I could bottle this feeling up then by lunch I’d be a millionaire…I got a hunch that maybe life ain’t fair, I look online and you ain’t there”.

‘Future Tense’ contrasts with the previous track, with high energy opening with an infectious drumbeat and an effortless, continuous guitar arrangement that is reminiscent of R.E.M, specifically ‘Losing My Religion”. According to sad films’ Instagram, “is an ode to procrastination, putting the back burner on and feeding it the important stuff one limb at a time, saying ‘sod it and doing nothing all day…”.  This is perfectly shown in the opening lyrics “First chance I get I’m gonna write a love song…one that screams precariously between my own conscience, reliable income and my pesky self-esteem.”

sad films is unapologetically authentic throughout ‘Exchange Pleasantries’. His performance conveys deep emotions and passion while seamlessly exploring his own creativity, bringing forth a refreshing take on indie music and perfectly showcasing his own unique style.

Ana Joy King

@anajoyking

Image: ‘Exchange Pleasantries’ Official EP Cover