Mucksavage – Letdown (2025)
Inspired by the burst of inspiration stemming from the solitude of lockdown, Mucksavage began in 2022 as singer-songwriter James Foy’s “lockdown experiment”. With a pile of original songs at his fingertips, Northern Ireland-based Foy recruited Cleo Greer (bass), Gareth Murray (guitar) and Aidan Rols (drums) to bring the songs to life. The foursome released their debut single, ‘Dirty Chin’, in 2024; in 2025, they kept things rolling with ‘Love Bomb’ and ‘Watto’, turning heads across the UK. The latest addition to their discography is the single, ‘Letdown’.
Channelling artists like Pixies and Jeff Rosenstock, Mucksavage insert a strong punk-rock sentimentality to their music, but ‘Letdown’ is slightly different to previous material leaning further toward the pop-rock/pop-punk sounds of the 90s and 2000s. For me, hints of Sum 41 and Good Charlotte waft across ‘Letdown’, capturing the heart of pop-rock’s yesteryear. Might this be a pivotal turn for the punk-inspired sound? Well, considering it was originally a quick song written to fill a set so the band could play live, it might not be; then again, it could be.
Co-produced by James Foy and long-time collaborator Jonny Woods, with mixing by Andy Bradfield and mastering by Jon Moorehead, ‘Letdown’ is that deep sigh of relief when you’ve had a tough day and need to shout out loud and stomp frustrations away. A kaleidoscopic weave of crashing drums, bold bass, scorching guitars, and Foy’s rich, gritty vocals washes over you with elegance, but also a sense of fragility and vulnerability.
Penned by Foy during a period when he was seeking professional help to “…unscramble his brain”, ‘Letdown’ is both upbeat, shout-aloud, and lay it all bare, as well as a cathartic tool bringing solace to Foy and his audience. Lyrically, the track deals with regret, hopelessness, and inner turmoil. It speaks to the fragility of past experiences, yet simultaneously is the burst of bright hope and overcoming troubles to find something new, joyous and exciting.
In addition to the single, Mucksavage released a music video for ‘Let Down’. You can view the video below and/or on their YouTube channel. Please note that this video uses image transitions and effects that can trigger migraines and/or seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
Find out more about Mucksavage on their Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, SoundCloud, BlueSky and Spotify.
This artist was sent to us by Old Crows Promotions.
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