Music / Premieres
Video Premiere:
Four in the Morning - On Command
Words by James Lynch
Thursday 7th November, 2019
Today we’re thrilled to premiere the new single from Melbourne four-piece Four in the Morning - ‘On Command’ is an emotive alternative-folk slowburner that sucks us in with its hauntingly compelling clip.
Following on from the release of ‘Lucky Kids’ in August, ‘On Command’ is the next taste of Four In The Morning’s forthcoming EP Safe Happy Scared, which we can expect to be hearing later this month. While ‘Lucky Kids’ was a blast of spirited indie-rock, ‘On Command’ is a hazy alternative-folk track that is equal parts haunting and moving.

After opening with some calming piano chords as a restless drumbeat skitters, ‘On Command’ slowly expands, the intricate layers of sound blossoming around Kevin Dolan’s striking voice. Despite its gravelly tone, his voice rings with an earnestness that feels impossible to fake, and we can hear every scratch in his throat as he mutters a poignant melody into our ear while the instrumentation ebbs and flows. Following a couple of choruses, the track finally opens fully with a fiery guitar solo, before the band simmer once more and ‘On Command’ fades away. Speaking about the track, Kevin shares “I think most people’s brains are sparks of competing thought. Love, happiness, fear. Random ideas, like getting jealous of the dog, or imagining yourself swerving the car off a bridge. I guess we wanted to write a song that captured all of that – the negative, the positive, the weird.” 

Accompanying the track is a stunning clip created by Ellen Richardson, which channels the track’s turbulent disposition with its captivating and illusive visuals. The clip doesn’t give too much away, which can be attributed to the band allowing Ellen to “run wild” with her own interpretation of the song, but still the immaculate shots perfectly match the track’s agitated atmosphere. Ellen explains “I smiled hearing the first line and was very excited to make something strange and beautiful to accompany it. The song’s an inner monologue that starts off funny and spirals somewhere pretty dark. It’s a beautiful song - it’s cheeky, vulnerable and slightly disturbing. Hopefully this video helps you to reflect on all those weird little voices that knock around your head.“

Check out the clip for 'On Command' above, and catch Four On The Morning launching their new EP on December 6th at the Yarra Hotel.