My First Time are back with new single, ‘Workwear’. Having caused a stir on last year’s lads-hating debut ‘Wind Up Merchant’, the Bristol band are turning their attention away from the boys boys boys to aim their sights at the world of consumerism instead. I say this as somebody who immediately ordered a coat in a different size while still wearing the damn thing. I am a crook, a sheep, a SHAM.
“Workwear’ focuses on the bizarre effect a few words or logo on a piece of clothing can have on people’s behaviour. When a model poses in a t-shirt that we’ll never look as good in, but we buy it anyway hoping we will! The song adopts the voices of three personas; ‘the over spender’, ‘the worried mother’ and the ‘marketing executive”. Overconsumption, consumerism, relentless advertising and body dysmorphia are constant companions for our generation.”
Retaining the razor-sharp sarcasm and the angular guitars that made ‘Wind Up Merchant’ so exciting, ‘Workwear’ manages to inject the personalities of multiple individuals inside three minutes. Resulting in a fast-paced, urgent performance that somehow works. Packing in all of the hooks, barbwired lyrics and puns you could ever need.
The post-punk sound delivers off-kilter melodies and punchy riffs against a constant dialogue that portrays the three individuals mentioned above: The hypocrisy of the money-hungry marketing executive, the dopamine chase of the overspender, and the spiralling worry of the mother. It sounds like a lot, but the band manage to make it work. Allowing this flood of words and emotions to fit inside the chaotic instrumental.
It is a fantastic song. One that further cements My First Time’s genius songwriting skills. There are a lot of artists that call out certain things, but not many who manage to do it with the perspective of multiple people in mind, and laced with the sarcasm and non-nonsense approach as they do. And as much as I feel called out, ‘Workwear’ is confirmation that we were right to be excited to hear more from My First Time this year.