Royal Blood’s new single ‘Pull Me Through’ stays ON REPEAT

Words: Ruby Corrigan

Release Date: 13th July 2023

This might just be me, but my music taste is incredibly dictated by the months of the year and I often find myself searching for music that evokes a certain feeling each season. This summer, however, has proven quite difficult.

Since coming back from University, very few songs have seemed to capture the perfect blend of carefree hedonism post exams, but also the unusual feeling of liminal loneliness that I have felt this season. Yet, Royal Blood’s new single ‘Pull me Through’ has somehow perfectly depicted both.

While some may argue that Royal Blood’s songs follow a text book formula and yearn for some differentiation, it is hard to argue that the punchy piano notes, Mike Kerr’s signature rock-blues vocals that open the track, the extreme guitar riffs and captivating bass lines is completely indescribable. Oozing hedonism might be a bit strong for some, but for me I was immediately reminded of hurtling down A – roads with my few closest mates, blasting music and being completely carefree – in short I felt an instant rush.

On the other hand, the lyrics perfectly encapsulate the strange loneliness a summer in your youth can feel like. “On a bed made of ‘’what have you done?’’ // tone deaf with a headache for one” reflects the universal feeling of a hot summer night spent drinking and making hasty decisions, leading to a morning full of regret, anxiety and most likely a ‘headache’.

Miles from the surface and right outta rebels of war

In a tense submarine where the seams couldn’t hold back the shore

On a bed made of “What have you done?”

Tone deaf with a headache for one

Back to the water below

Alone, as I float like a stone

Royal Blood – Pull Me Through Opening Verse

To me, however, the line that stuck out the most comes as the first verse transitions into the chorus: “alone as I float like a stone // sinking to the bottom gone but not forgotten.’ This excellently sums up the often unspoken feeling of loneliness that can often accompany summer for me, when life completely halts and I have no clue what to do with myself.

I’m not completely forgotten by my friends but I can often push myself off the radar, preferring a few months of solitude and spending time with my closest friends rather than engaging in an endless string of superficial nights out with people I have hardly spoken to since leaving for university.

To conclude, while it would be nice to see Royal Blood expand their style a bit more, ‘Pull Me Through’ offers a lot of solace to a rather antisocial girl stuck in the rut of the summer holidays, therefore will be in my ‘on repeat’ playlist for the rest of the season.