Western Australian power couple, Dylan & Carmen Ollivierre make up indie pop-rock duo The Money War. They popped out their latest single 'Blood' on the 5th of October, with an album of the same name knocking on our doors, come November 5th. Since their inception 5 years ago, way back during The Before Times in 2016, The Money War have toured with some big names, including Meg Mac, Dope Lemon, Holy Holy and Neil Finn.
The track features their trademark penchant for storytelling, informed by their recent level-up to parenthood. Carmen explains:
"It’s written about the complexity of family relationships and bloodlines, and delves into the nature vs nurture debate I suppose. The character in the song has a very tricky relationship with their parents and they’re reflecting on whether they will become like them or learn from them. I think having a kid makes you think about things differently and we’ve been watching our song grow and change, with different characteristics starting to show through from both of us. It’s a topic that both of us have been thinking about a lot”
'Blood' starts out with the simple strum of an acoustic guitar accompanied by a rock beat on the pitter-patters. It may sound like a Country pop track, or some sort of Christian pop-rock, but don't let it deceive you. The piano comes in for the chorus, and it slowly builds over the course of the song. The catchy electric guitar in the bridge is when things start to really turn heads, and this is the reason we're listening to it. The star returns near the end with more distorted string-slinging, adding the retrospection & emotional element to the piece.
The song is less dreamy than previous single 'Miles Away,' and sadly the sultry brass tones won't be making a reprisal here. But the hazy bent electric more than takes up the mantle in its stead. It is more akin to 'Zoom,' with the acoustic guitar stylings at the start, but they have very different emotional drives. Despite the complexity of the central character and themes, this song is still "Feel Good." And there ain't nothin' wrong with feelin' good!
Have a listen and hear the guitar crackle for yourself.
Remember, this is only the beginning. This is merely the title track. Catch the whole album, Blood, on the 5th of November.