Based out of Manchester, Chew Magna are something of a supergroup containing members of Songs For Walter, Young British Artists and Francis Lung. Having shared stages with Mothers and Cloud Nothings, as well as releasing a string of well-received singles, the bands are gearing up to release their debut album later this year. Ahead of that arrival, the band recently shared their new single Secrets, the video for which they’re premiering here today.

Recorded at The White Hotel in Salford with producer Martin Hurley, the track’s final form is very different to where it began, as vocalist Laurie Hulme explains, “Secrets originally started life as an acoustic song I wrote for my folk group but we jammed it a few times, channelling bands like Sebadoh and Superchunk and it transformed pretty quickly”. The result is a song of bone-rattling bass and whip-crack snare, a hefty backing to the squall of the twin guitars, of which guitarist Simon Walker notes, “Laurie and I don’t play a single note in the verse, we just leave the guitars to start squealing”.

What stops the song from falling completely over the precipice of noise is that beneath the bruising howl, there’s the counter-point of some deliciously catchy melodies. Nodding to the likes of Wednesday or early Manics this is a pop song wearing a thick alternative coat as a disguise. Throughout Laurie sings an anthem for those who adorn their stories with a liberal flair for the truth, as he sings, “I’m sorry I lied to keep your interest, it’s only because, well, I can’t resist”. Laurie has spoken of how the song started out reflecting his own tendency to, “exaggerate details when I tell my dull anecdotes…but it also taps into bigger themes of bullshitting and gross exaggeration I see every day on social media or in advertising”.

The accompanying video finds the band thrashing and wailing through the track in a practice room, as ghostly overlays send them crashing into one another before parting again. There’s something wonderfully honest about everything Chew Magna do, no flashiness, no posing, just letting the music flow out from the soul and two minutes of wonderful noise later you’re done, and ready to hit play all over again.

Chew Magna’s debut album is out later this year via Stray Cat Records. For more information on Chew Magna visit https://chewmagnaband.bandcamp.com/.