HARD RUBBISH – ‘EVERGREEN’

HARD RUBBISH – ‘EVERGREEN’
SINGLE
Swirl Records

Hard Rubbish – the ever-evolving project of songwriter Jason Katsaras – is back with a heart-wrenching track that’s on a mission to make you feel a few feelings. While the band’s sound has historically resided pretty firmly in the slacker rock realm, ‘Evergreen’ casts off the dolewave indifference in favour of an earnest brand of suburban country. 

Co-produced by Ricky Albeck, the track is beautifully layered behind Katsaras’ raw vocals. Twangy alt-country guitar highlights and sweet, yearning violin harmonies blend with lyrics that play with the concept of “the evergreen” – a metaphor for pushing through adversity to reach a better place. Katsaras says it reflects “the little voice in the back of [his] head that’s telling [him] not to crawl into a ball when life gets too hard”. There’s no doubt, it’s a sad song (and let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be country without a dose of the sads). But at the same time, there’s such an overwhelming sense of hope as Katsaras sings, “I wanna look up at the birds/I wanna be a better man”. There’s magic in simplicity, and ‘Evergreen’ captures it perfectly. 

Sounds like: The last time you picked up the pieces after your heart was broken. 

By Timothea Moylan