Earlier in the year, Cub Sport surprised fans by releasing the deeply personal and heart-wrenching gospel/RnB-inspired pop tune “O Lord”, the first taste off their much-anticipated second studio album ‘BATS’ (out now).
The song became an anthem for their fans, racking up a hundred thousand plays in a matter of days, was added to triple J rotation, was featured on i-D Magazine and The Fader, as well as on multiple Apple and Spotify playlists, prompting headlines such as “O Lord is perfect” (Project U) and “‘O Lord’ is a harmony-drenched, intimate love letter to that breathtaking, fragile happiness that comes with getting the thing you really, really wanted” (Pedestrian).
Now, they give you the video for second single “Chasin’” which was recently added to rotation on triple j, FBi Radio, and HIT 105, as well as announce a massive run of shows through USA and Canada for early 2018. Chasin’ is the opening track off their new album BATS, and the song that started it all.
“Chasin’ is sort of the start of the whole story of BATS…” Explains Tim, “In 2015 I went on a writing trip to LA and London – it felt like a big step towards ‘being a songwriter’ which is what I’d always wanted to do. I enjoyed getting to write and record with some really talented people but I was sad for most of my time away. I missed Bolan (Sam) so much and I was just asking myself the whole time, why am I putting myself through this?! It made me realise that I was in love with him which was equal parts exciting and distressing. I’d hardly come out to myself and the idea of coming out to anyone else was terrifying.
It was a pretty weird time for me – our debut album was finished but wherever we turned it felt like we were met with people who didn’t seem to understand who we were or what we were trying to do, so we were just waiting in limbo. That whole situation brought on a lot of self-doubt. I was putting everything I had into these songs and nobody really cared about them. I wrote Chasin’ just after I got home from that trip. I feel like it ties together all of the feelings I had during that time.”
Largely written, recorded and produced at home by frontman Tim Nelson, ‘BATS’ (out now) is an intimate album inspired by experiences of self-doubt, growth, partying, coming out, learning the power of self-acceptance, self-belief and falling in love. While rooted in pop, the record is an unhindered sonic exploration with soul and R&B influences. BATS is a diverse album imbued with a distinct aura of honesty, vulnerability and sincerity.
