Truth molds itself to perception, especially when unpacking a breakup. Moody alternative artist BANKS explores this idea in her single “Best Friends” off her upcoming album, Off With Her Head. Through an organic yet dramatic instrumentation, she shines a rare spotlight on the emotional difficulties of growing apart from a close friend. This song is one of 12, unveiling a thought-provoking glimpse of her fifth studio album’s overarching theme: “Stop overthinking everything.”
As expected of a project she affectionately calls “a big sister album to Goddess,” many of the harmonies and vocal cadence choices in “Best Friends” call back to BANKS’s debut album, particularly “Bedroom Wall,” and the unplugged version of “Stick.” She honors the core elements of her sound freshly and maturely, explaining:
After a decade apart, I’ve reunited with the core musicians and producers who helped shape my debut…the journey is documented in all these sounds.
An acoustic guitar and soft string sections deeply ground the track, allowing the sensitive lyrics and melody to expand and add nuance. She reminisces on a now-dead connection with a heavy heart and busy mind, not fully understanding the separation. Her best friend was different, just like her, but resisted accepting it, and maybe still does: “I see all your photos, you dress the same, but you’re not.”
BANKS hints at resentment and sympathy between herself and this person, calling out both parties’ faults. But who is at fault for what? What were the faults? Amid these circling thoughts, she concludes that perhaps she played a larger role in the wreckage than she thought:
And I got no one to blame / It’s on me
And you don’t even mean what you said / It’s on me
The phrase “It’s on me” punctuates every line of this vulnerable outro, which melodically shares similarities with “Fuck Love” off of BANKS’s 2022 album, Serpentina. Whether this is intentional or a mere coincidence, her artistic identity is stronger than ever.
Preceding the release of Off With Her Head, BANKS recently gifted fans an acoustic re-recording of her first album, Goddess, celebrating its 10th anniversary with intimate live shows in New York, Los Angeles, and Melbourne, Australia. These shows built up excitement for her upcoming project and served as a reminder of her growth and gratitude.
The boldly named Off With Her Head will drop on February 28th, including exciting collaborations with Doechii, Yseult, and Sampha. To prepare for this release, stream “Best Friends” now on Spotify and Apple Music, and follow BANKS on social media:
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