First Day of Spring have made a name for themselves experimenting with the feelings of dystopia, their self-description of ‘blooming in the low-light’, a perfect metaphor for a sound that takes post-punk and various alt-90s influences to deeply introspective lyricism. After the release of their debut EP ‘Fly Over Apple Blossom‘ in early 2023, fans have long awaited a new project, now arriving as four-track ‘Be My Hospital.‘
In First Day of Spring’s vivid opening to ‘Be My Hospital,’ the band’s proclivity for alternative foundations is put on full show. ‘You’re Blue, I’m Blue’, speaks with a dark tone, a sense of pain emerging from the guitars alone. Themes of tribalism and coexistence are central to the repeating hook, with multiple vocal layers creating a chanting atmosphere. Still, the track is mostly dominated by instrumentals, allowing the thoughts to settle amongst distortion and steady back beats. ‘The Rising Tide’, fellow teaser track to ‘You’re Blue, I’m Blue’, and now taking up the next stage of the project, begins to lean into themes of authenticity and artistic practice, a central piece of the ‘Be My Hospital‘ puzzle First Day of Spring presents.
They share, “Some of the themes running through songs like On Monday and Be My Hospital are centred around being a visual artist and songwriter and feeling profoundly disillusioned in your creative practice when figuring out whether or not the work is the most enjoyable part of it or that real success is to never have to work a day in your life. Meanwhile observing every other artist simultaneously going into that process and everything that comes with it.
With that in mind, the sense of discordance and internal conflict places itself at the forefront. The gritty nature, and lyricism that seems to project outwards, is instead looking at a mirror. As heaviness ends ‘The Rising Tide’, ‘Old World’ takes the stage, introducing a piano arpeggio and a moment of vulnerability. The angst settles for a moment, an air of positivity and hopefulness descending on the track as the synths shimmer and drums become more rhythmic and percussive.
“Old World was chosen based on its buoyancy. Having a song mainly about all the things we took for granted during COVID-19 as the last song on the EP gives me a lot of positive emotions surrounding those things. There is a reference in that song to a granite obelisk dated to 1836 or 1837, marking the eastern boundary of the City of London’s conservancy jurisdiction over the River Thames. The crowstone is at the bottom of my road and always reminds me of home. When COVID-19 came to an end it meant we could all hang out at the beach again so when I hear that song I think of that specific time and it feels hopeful.”
‘On Monday’ is the perfect end to a largely personal journey, the elements of growing elation and the antagonist of dread reaching a climax, the shadowy tones in contrast to brighter melodies, all feeding into the embodiment of a knowing smile. Looking to the future and understanding themselves in a new way, the band leave with distorted feedback.