Since their earliest demos released in 2017, Boston trio House of Harm have made it their mission to immerse their listeners in the bygone aesthetics of the late-’80s and early-’90s alt-rock scenes, from the yearning, chilly post-punk of The Cure into the grungier territory that followed. Their sophomore record Playground aims to further this trajectory, and the project’s latest single “Two Kinds” takes us deeper into the gothy atmospherics of a bygone era while vocalist Michael Rocheford echos a certain pained vocal performance familiar to contemporary emo.
Lyrically, the track feels right in line with either scene’s emotional subject matter, as Rochford explains that the song—the “most revealing” among the lot, he notes—was inspired by pained personal recollection. “The lyrics are written from a place of reflection and weakness. It’s a desperate call for things to return to the way they were, imperfections and all.”
Further amplifying the already-strong anachronistic feel of the tune is the music video it arrives with, featuring live footage and behind-the-scenes antics from the band’s recent tour filmed on grainy Hi8 cassette. Check it out below, and expect Playground to arrive December 1.
