The latest from Krooked Tongue, “You Don’t Need a Sun Tan” is the kind of song that becomes the soundtrack to the quote ‘drive fast and take chances’. The catchy rock anthem is built on speed with a message that has bite, and it shows that Krooked Tongue are not just another guitar band with catchy riffs but a band with ideas, drive, and the tenacity to become something bigger than they already are.
Produced by longtime collaborator Josh Gallop, “You Don’t Need a Sun Tan” thrives on raw the chemistry of the trio. The guitars are crunchy without being overbearing, the drums punch with real weight, and the vocal delivery walks the line between sardonic and sincere. It’s the kind of track that makes you want to roll down the window and drive straight past the town that never changed.
Like their previous tracks, “Marigold”, “Ember Mile”, and “Nothing Ever Grows”, “You Don’t Need A Sun Tan” is an infectious jam with just enough sting to keep it from veering into nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. But it also shows a wonderfully sharp and high-energy side of Krooked Tongue. One that is a blast of gritty rock that manages to feel both familiar yet freshly unfiltered.
Oli Rainsford, frontman and bassist, frames the song around returning to old haunts and realising why you left.
It’s a reminder of why you left to begin with, to see the world, get out of the bubble and head to the city. But there’s also a sense of belonging, being back with ‘your’ people. A certain comfortability that comes with heading back to the old stomping ground. It’s an ode to that message, not one that’s positive or negative, just merely an observation.
That neutrality makes the sentiment of the track land even harder. There’s comfort in familiarity, but the song argues there’s also value in chasing what one has yet to find.
Krooked Tongue has found their stride and it’s evident in “You Don’t Need A Sun Tan” that they can make rowdy rock with a clear message that sinks into the heart.
