Had Sandy channel teenage angst on ‘I Hate My Parents And I Wanna Learn How To Swim’

Brighton four-piece Had Sandy dive headfirst into the restless spirit of second-wave emo with new single ‘I Hate My Parents And I Wanna Learn How To Swim’, released through Sugar-Free Records.

Behind its brilliantly melodramatic title is a fast-moving and emotionally charged track inspired by the awkward contradictions of adolescence. Vocalist and guitarist Jude Allenby explores everything from smoking cigarettes to fit in to navigating conflicting feelings within a relationship, deliberately capturing the confusion and innocence of being a misunderstood teenager.

Musically, Had Sandy look towards the impassioned sounds of Sunny Day Real Estate, Texas Is The Reason and Mineral, while traces of their early Tigers Jaw influence remain in the use of keys. More recent inspirations including Citizen, Title Fight and Drug Church have also helped the quartet develop a heavier and increasingly distinctive identity.

Raw, nostalgic and wonderfully immediate, ‘I Hate My Parents And I Wanna Learn How To Swim’ turns that spontaneous beginning into a convincing snapshot of teenage uncertainty, whether you’re living through it now or suddenly remembering exactly how 16 used to feel.