“Everyfire” by Field Hospitals – A Song Feature

 

     This marks the second consecutive post in which we’ve featured a Minnesota-based band whose song references the extended presence of federal law enforcement in Minneapolis. Despite any appearances to the contrary, Indie Obsessive does not intend to turn more political. Rather, the aim remains the same as always: highlighting and promoting music we genuinely enjoy. The previous song from The Dead Century and the below track from Field Hospitals are aligned with that goal.
 
     The lyrics of Field Hospitals’ “Everyfire” are sufficiently vague to accommodate different readings, but they begin “Days of occupation.” The lyrics are included at the bottom of this post. Still, the strength of the song lies in its instrumentation. A synthesizer initiates the single and a punchy rhythm section soon joins, but “Everyfire” is guitar-driven and melody-focused. The press release interestingly declares that the track:
  “[B]alances their classic jangle pop sound with subtle synth textures and a driving post-punk feel, “Everyfire” shows the Field Hospitals expanding its musical palette without losing the tuneful, classic Indie Rock guitar sounds that define the group.
 
     The members of Minneapolis’ Field Hospitals are Matt Helgeson (bass), Dan Ganin (guitar), Hank Henry (vocals, guitar), and Jeff Ball (drums). They feature melodic chiming guitars and a driving rhythm section. “Everyfire” is their first 2026 release. A sophomore album is planned to later this year. The band’s 2025 debut EP “Ethel Green” won praise from critics and was picked as one of Spin’s “Best EPs of 2025.” The band was also one of the featured artists honored in Racket’s annual “Picked to Click” music industry poll.
 
     “Everyfire” by Field Hospitals

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fieldhospitals.mpls/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/field.hospitals/

Lyrics of “Everyfire” by Field Hospitals (littered with “best guesses”)
Days of occupation
Lie around us in the dark
And then romance untied
If you were wandering
 
Down that shoulder
You left the lonely running
Find the cold run into tonight
And show me very fight
Just show me every fight
You said run
Now show me every fight
Just show me every fight
You said run
Now show me every fight
 
Call me up
Call me out
You were faded
I replied
And it all defines
Who made it
And the other questions “Why?”
 
Down that shoulder
You left the lonely running
Find the cold ran into night
And show me very fight
Just show me every fight
You said run
Now show me every fight
Just show me every fight
You said run
Now show me every fight
 
Just show me every fight
You said run
Now show me every fight

“Been Better” by The Dead Century – A Song Feature

 

     A burst of rapid-fire guitar launches the intro with urgency, soon propelled forward by power percussion. The intro of “Been Better” lasts 27 seconds, approximately the same length as the outro that showcases the guitar skills of The Dead Century. In between resides a Trojan Horse - a convincingly engaging framework harboring a somber theme. The band accurately describes it as “an upbeat, guitar-driven Rock song that’s full of angst, joy, and yearning,” but not in equal parts.

 

     Lyrically, “Been Better” unfolds as a telephone conversation, with most of the reflections coming from the person on the other end of the line. She is struggling within circumstances that are outside of her control and stretch beyond her personal world. The lyrics are included at the bottom of this post. While she admits patience is required and expresses gratitude for the call, any suggestion of faith in the future fades with her closing confession: “… between you and me, this shit better get better soon.”

 

    It’s significant that Minneapolis serves as the home base for The Dead Century, a city shaped in recent months by political conflict, federal law enforcement presence, and the lingering aftermath of civil unrest. The band notes that “Been Better” was originally drafted during the difficult days of the 2020 lockdowns, but was only recently recorded in Minneapolis. The song’s lyrical message feels as timely now as ever. The band’s explanation is more interesting:

  The very first draft of this tune was a product of those hyper-anxious early days of the covid lockdowns, basically pre-history at this point. It took some serious revisions to find its way here, but (alas?) the song still hits our ears with the same kind of urgency—that better days are on the way, but also that sh*t better get better soon.

  Here’s to the triumph of hope and kindness over experience!

 

     The members of The Dead Century are Nick Check (guitar, vocals), JP Check (bass), Austin Peterson (lead guitar, vocals), and Robert Muehlbauer (drums, vocals). Nick and JP are brothers.

     “Been Better” by The Dead Century

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedeadcentury
Website: https://www.thedeadcentury.com/

Lyrics of “Been Better” by The Dead Century
She’s been living on her own since the summer
She’s not distraught, just a little distracted
Said “Lover, let me count the ways”
And the list came up a little shorter than expected
 
And since you asked
She said “I guess I’ve been better
You know it’s been a rough few months
And I don’t know when that’s going to change”
 
You know the last time was an absolute trainwreck
Well, she’s so grateful that that’s been established
The sugar crash was almost as cruel as the come down
And in any case those feelings just vanished
 
And since you asked
She said “I guess I’ve been better
You know it’s been a rough few months
And I don’t know when that’s going to change
Well I’m alright
Just under the weather
I’m stuck here and holding out hope
That we’re gonna see better days”
 
Everyone tells you that time’s going to conquer the pain
But tell me how long has it been now and how much has changed
You keep moving forward but every day just feels the same
But what can you do when the only solution is wait
And wait, and wait
 
She says “Anyways, thanks for the phone call
It’s cool to talk to an interested party
There’s comfort in community, there’s solace in the solitude
And in theory that should be enough for me”
 
And since you asked
She said “I guess I’ve been better
If time is what fixes things then I guess
There’s not much left I can do
I’ll do my best
Keep up with the patience
Yeah, but between you and me
This shit better get better soon”

“Jennie” by Hamish Tate – A Song Feature

 

     “Jennie” is a socially conscious release from Hamish Tate. Its lyrics address several challenges tied to growing up, including parental pressure to prioritize financial security over personal dreams, struggles with body image, eating disorders, and the impact of low self-esteem. Yet, the song is encouraging, repeatedly advising that the journey is a long one but, in time, it’ll straighten out.
 
      Tate explains the song:
  “’Jennie’ is the best thing I’ve written because it scared me to release it. It talks about things people don’t always feel comfortable saying out loud — the pressure, the comparison, the eating struggles. I didn’t want to dress it up. I wanted it to feel real.”
 
    At its core, “Jennie” is not a song about defeat, because it is anchored by the reassuring line, “It’s a long road, but it’ll straighten out in time.” The track offers hope in moments of overwhelm, reminding listeners that uncertainty does not last forever. Tate says:
  “Even when life feels directionless and heavy, things can settle. This song is about holding on through that period.”
  Through intimate storytelling and understated Indie-Folk production, the track captures both vulnerability and resilience.
 
     Hamish Tate is based in London. “Jennie” is the first of multiple 2026 releases amongst a range of diverse projects. With a background in art and theatre, Tate has developed a genre-crossing Indie sound rooted in storytelling and emotional honesty. Drawing inspiration from the energy of Fidlar and Caroline Rose, alongside the lo-fi grit of Jack White and The Clash, Tate continues to evolve as a songwriter unafraid to explore deeply human themes.
 
     “Jennie” by Hamish Tate

Linktr.ee: https://linktr.ee/Just_hamish
Bandcamp: https://hamishtate.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Just_hamish

Lyrics of “Jennie” by Hamish Tate
Jennie wants to be a painter
Just like her old man did
Her mother says do something safer
It’s a tough world to live in

She works hard
Sees her friends on the weekends
If they respond to her texts
She never knows if they really care or if they’re just looking for what to do next
And it’s all a little too much
 
It’s a long road
Eyes through the telephone
It’s a long road
Going where the wind blows
It’s a long road
But it’ll straighten out in time
 
Crying in her room she’s never really known how beautiful she is
Jennie doesn’t feel like eating
Seeing the girls on tv
The way they look in that dress
It’ll never go away
The voice is there to stay
And she’ll skip dinner again
Force-fed by her mum
She knows that it’s wrong
But she doesn’t know any other way
 
It’s a long road
Eyes through the telephone
It’s a long road
Going where the wind blows
It’s a long road
But it’ll straighten out in time
 
It’s all around her
Cutting through
But like fire she’ll rise to
The light
She deserves
 
It’s a long road
Eyes through the telephone
It’s a long road
Going where the wind blows
It’s a long road
But it’ll straighten out in time
 
Oh she knows
It’s a long road
Eyes through the telephone
It’s a long road
Going where the wind blows
It’s a long road
But it’ll straighten out in time
It’ll straighten out in time
It’ll straighten out in time
It’ll straighten out in time
It’ll straighten out in time
It’ll straighten out