London-based five-piece Ain’t have just released their brooding second single, ‘Teething’, arriving at a pivotal point in a year of significant successes for the band. Despite not having officially released any tracks until their debut single, ‘Oar’, in May, Ain’t have already garnered a fervent word-of-mouth reputation and have played showcases for esteemed platforms including So Young, Rough Trade, The Alt Escape, and The Windmill.
Building on their distinctive, scowling sound, ‘Teething’ was produced by Oli Barton Wood (Porridge Radio, Shame, The Big Moon). It features muscular, hook-driven melodies set against an unsettling sense of motion. The track originated from a simple guitar motif that guitarist Ed Randall kept returning to, and it evolved into a song soaked in self-pity and pervasive sorrow, inspired by his bandmates’ issues with their wisdom teeth. Bought to life by Hanna Barker’s compelling vocal delivery, which ties these arrangements together, the track showcases Aint’s formidable ability to deliver an emotional punch.
Speaking on the single, the band says:
Teething is definitely our creepiest song – Ed wrote it ages before Ain’t and the lyrics ‘you don’t even notice me from the window’ encapsulates the whole premise of the song neatly. It’s about vying for someone’s attention when they couldn’t care less – and how the sting of that rejection isn’t so much a sting, but a persistent throbbing, like toothache.
Ain’t’s music brings together elements of ’90s guitar, post-punk, and shoegaze from both sides of the Atlantic, striking a balance between nostalgia and innovation. The band consists of George Ellerby (Guitar/Vox), Ed Randall (Guitar), Hanna Baker Darch (Vox), Chapman Ho (Bass Guitar), and Joe Lockstone (Drums).
Their debut single, ‘Oar’, received widespread acclaim, with coverage from the likes of Dork, NME, CLASH, Stereogum, and So Young, and has been played on Radio 6 Music, Radio X, Apple Music 1, and many more.
Alongside the single, the band have also shared further live dates across autumn and winter – with further releases impending.
Ain’t Live dates
- 28 Sep – London, The George Tavern
- 19 Oct – London, Sebright Arms
- 31 Oct – London, 100 Club w/ Man/Woman/Chainsaw
- 09 Nov – Bristol, The Old England
- 16 Nov – Leeds, Live in Leeds
- 21 Nov – London, The Shacklewell Arms
- 12 Apr – Bristol, Outer Town Festival