Smut, comprised of lyricist Tay Roebuck, guitarists Andie Min and Sam Ruschman, drummer Aidan O’Connor, and new bassist John Steiner, began a decade ago in Cincinnati, Ohio. Now based in Chicago, they made their Bayonet Records debut with How the Light Felt. They are following up their 2022 album today with a new single titled “Dead Air.”
Lyrically, “Dead Air” explores breakups – both romantic and band-related – capturing the emotions of relationships ending and evolving. The opening line “radio dead air sings like a motor” contains not only the song title but offers a strong metaphor for the emptiness felt after a break up. This theme resonates with Smut’s own experiences, as they went through similar changes. Aside from having a new bassist in the band, Roebuck and Min also got married right before recording the new material in New York with Aron Kobayashi-Ritch (of Momma).
The band went back to the basics when writing this song, referencing their favorite bands growing up, like My Chemical Romance, Metric, Green Day, and The Fall. The members of Smut agreed they wanted to make something that was as fun to make and play as it was to listen to. “Dead Air” is heavier than Smut’s former releases, reflecting a revitalized band thriving in a new iteration. This is heard in the energetic guitar riffs during the chorus, and the overall power of the track. Roebuck’s vocals toggling from dreamy to a belted-out shriek further affirm this newfound energy.
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