REVIEW: "Gin & Tonic" by The Dirty Shirts
The Dirty Shirts
A Dark And Stormy Love Song.
Catchy rhymes and an oh-so-groovy bassline make the new single "Gin & Tonic" by The Dirty Shirts an absolute must listen. Cameron Moreland and Nick Santa Maria, two Dallas-based musicians that co-founded The Dirty Shirts, are back again with another nifty song that I just can't get out of my head.
"I started writing it on the piano and liked that there was a smokey-bar kinda mood to it," explains Santa Maria, "Cam came up with the pre-chorus and chorus idea, and it all came together. I think it's a dark love song to all the things that are bad for you." I definitely agree with Nick; this song is undoubtedly a dark love story, wrapping up the emotions of the song's main character into each chorus' next drink: a gin and tonic. I like the dichotomy of this track's upbeat rhythm and percussion, with the tonally dark minor chord progressions and bassline underneath.
Aside from being incredibly talented, The Dirty Shirts also have a pretty interesting songwriting style that shows off their musicianship and work ethic. So many bands and artists take months or years to develop a track fully and oftentimes will allow inspiration to come to them. But when asked how he writes songs, Santa Maria said that the Dirty Shirts "sit down and grind it out" and continued saying, "In my personal experience, especially in this band, inspiration spontaneously hitting you is bullshit." This answer certainly surprised me, but I highly respect the band for working hard and getting their pens to paper.
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Nick also explained how the band's sound had evolved over time, saying, "I think it's getting broader as time goes on. It started more straightforward rock and roll, and we've added in elements of soul, hip hop, pop, and whatever else into it while staying rock and roll at its core."
While The Dirty Shirts came of age playing in the Texas music scene, they say their sound hasn't really been influenced by living in Dallas, at least in the traditional sense. "I don't think it really has any bearing on the way we write for this band," said Nick, "The Americana influence really isn't there at all from where I'm standing."
Beside's "Gin & Tonic," The Dirty Shirts also released a single called "Ol' Chains Romance" earlier on in 2020, showing off their range as a band. To me, The Dirty Shirts sound like George Harrison's 'All Things Must Pass,' with its signature guitar slides, fused with the poppy lyrics and percussion on Bleachers' 'Strange Desire' record.
Although Cameron Moreland and Nick Santa Maria are only getting started, it seems like their sound has already begun to evolve. "Gin & Tonic" will be a mainstay on my playlists all Summer long, and I simply can't wait to see what The Dirty Shirts come up with next.
Video Credits:
Directed by Cal & Aly
Shot at Paschall's Bar in Denton, TX
Written by Patrick Breen