“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

“The Echo of Yesterday” and “Fractured" by The Laneys – Song Features

 

     The Laneys write lyrics with feelings laid bare, stripped of emotional defenses. According to the Irish band, they release songs for people who’ve lived a little, felt deeply, and still care. Most significantly, the intelligence behind the lyric writing draws listeners into that same level of care.
 
     “The Echo of Yesterday” explores a relationship defined by lingering love on one side: she has moved on but his feelings remain stubbornly intact. The vocalist occasionally refers to “we” and “us,” but the verses typically shift between addressing her in the second person (“And you looked at me like I was dirt; You gave no reasons — just my fault, said goodbye, and it hurt”) and referring to her in the third person (“She took the sky, left me the rain; Took the light, left me the pain”). He also acknowledges another absence — the baby who left when she did.
 
     In describing the song, The Laneys said, “’Echo’ blends atmospheric Indie Rock with emotional storytelling, building from intimate verses into a cinematic, layered chorus. Inspired by artists like Radiohead and Manchester Orchestra." The credits in songs by the band identify Jay Laney and John Delaney.
 
     “The Echo of Yesterday” by The Laneys

Lyrics of “The Echo of Yesterday” by The Laneys
Cold as rain on the windowpane,
Handbag lying on the floor,
Baby crying in the dark,
She slipped right out the door.
 
Said you needed something real,
Was I just a ghost you couldn’t feel?
Our love spilled out like gasoline,
And you lit it up — you lit it up.
 
(ohh… ohh… ohh… ohh…)
 
The house is quiet, the clock still ticks,
I hear your voice, in my head it still sticks.
A son still whispers in his sleep,
Your name cuts through me, it cuts too deep.
 
She took the sky, left me the rain,
Took the light, left me the pain.
I gave her my soul, she threw it away,
Now I’m just a shadow living in yesterday.
 
(ohh… ohh… ohh… ohh…)
 
And you looked at me like I was dirt,
You gave no reasons — just my fault, said goodbye and it hurt.
The bed still smells like your perfume,
It fills my head like poison now — drowns the room.
 
Do you still hum our song at night?
Do you hold him close when he cries?
Does he learn to say my name
From all the anger, silence and shame?
 
She took the sky, left me the rain,
Took the life, left me the blame.
I gave her my soul, she let it decay,
Now I’m just a shadow walking in the rain.
 
We don’t scream now, we don’t fight,
I just replay us every night.
Every promise, every scar,
Every version of who we are.
 
I hold my breath when I sleep,
Like maybe that will keep you near.
I know you’re already gone,
I still wake up holding on…
 
Ohhh Ohhh oohh oh
 
…Yeah still wake up holding on…
…wake up holding on…
…holding on…
 
Yeah she took the sky, left me the rain,
Took the truth, left me the shame.
I gave her my all, she blew it away,
Now I’m just the echo of yesterday.
 
Fed me with lies, again and again,
Hid the truth, let it all cave in.
Watched me fall while she walked away,
Now I’m just the echo of yesterday.
 
(ohh… ohh… ohh… ohh…)
Your ghost, your ghost beneath my skin…
 
(ohh…)
Your ghost, your ghost still pulls me in…
… still pulls me in
… still pulls me in

      “Fractured” also addresses a relationship that has gone wrong. The effort to pick up the pieces isn’t equally shared. The song ends with wisdom: Stitching the fragments together, “It’s never the same // Not stronger or weaker // Just what remains.”

     “Fractured” by The Laneys
Lyrics of “Fractured” by The Laneys

When you give it your all
And it doesn't return
That's when the warmth
Causes the burns
 
You can try to fix it
It still falls over
 
A fracture
Of once was
 
Picking up fragments
Till your hands bleed
Down on the floor
Down on both knees
 
Nothing but pieces
Of you and of me
 
Held together
Long enough to stand
Feel it slip
Slip from your hands
 
When what you give
Doesn't come back
That's when it falls
And that's when it cracks
 
Pieced together
You and me
Create the illusion
Of what they should see
 
Picking up fragments
Till your hands bleed
Here again on the floor
Back down on both knees
Cleaning up remnants
Of you and me
 
There's nothing but pieces
Of what we should be
 
Stitched together
It’s never the same
Not stronger or weaker
Just what remains