The latest two-track single from Baltimore punk/hardcore band, Be Well, is an electric-charged artistic statement that demands to be taken seriously. Led by fearless frontman Brian McTernan, “A Tap I Can’t Turn Off” and “Without A Compass” rock with an immediacy to them that put a firm focus on why this band is so dynamic. Starting with “A Tap I Can’t Turn Off,” the heavy opening riffing sets the tone for the lyrics of, “There is an overwhelming sense of doubt / That’s spent a lifetime occupying my mind / The things that I’ve done to block it out / Have corroded the rest of what’s left over time,” that showcase McTernan’s conflict within his own mind. The track explodes out of the gate with a rare sense of urgency, and ends with the pain in the lyrics of, “But I still lack confidence / And sometimes I feel like shit.”
The back half of the recently released 7″ single features the speedy hardcore anthem of “Without A Compass,” that conveys a similar tone from McTernan as he explains the world around him through his lens. As great as the chorus of this song is, I kept coming back to the heart-wrenching bridge of, “I need a change of tide, a place to start / To put the pieces back together after falling apart / To find the strength to cry, then to dry my eyes / And finally learn to love myself in the next part of my life / I recognize that I am loved and I want to thank you / For never giving up on me.” It’s nice to know that McTernan has someone in his corner who has his back through thick and thin, as some of us aren’t so lucky. Be Well’s continued development in the hardcore score explains why this band is a must-see act, and this single is sure to keep interest in them at a fever pitch.