Divisions is a UK band with a timeless Alternative Rock sound. The group debuted in 2017 with the album “Distance Over Time.” Following the success of that record they gigged around the UK, released a series of singles, an EP and a live album. In a story told a thousand times on these pages, 2020 left the band grounded through numerous lockdowns. They took the unwanted downtime as an opportunity to finish their next project. The results arrived on March 12, 2021 in the form of their 10-track, self-titled sophomore album and the record’s lead-off single “Quiet Frustrations.”
With a sound that lands somewhere between the epic storytelling of U2 and the avant-garde experimentation of Radiohead, “Quiet Frustrations” paints a powerfully emotional picture of the general sense of ennui we all feel in this the modern age. The verse rolls on a mellow Rock groove that pairs the organic vibe of a live band with the electronically processed sound of the vocal. Divisions’ lead singer David Thaxton delivers the monologue of the everyman in 2021, unsure of what is happening in the world or how he should feel about it. The mix expands in the chorus with big ambient synths and ethereal guitars as the band rocks out to an immediately memorable ascending riff.
In quarantine last year the band self-produced a video for “Quiet Frustrations.” Check it out below. You can also hear the track on the Deep Indie Dive playlist. We had a chance to chat with the band about the past, the future and their new album. Read their answers to our 7 questions. And follow the links at the end of this article to connect with the band. Get on their socials and get in the loop on all of their current and future projects.
7 Questions with Divisions
Where are you from?
The five of us are based in various parts of the UK, including London, Stamford, Nottingham and Norwich.
How long have you been making music?
Individually, we were definitely all musical from a young age. As a musical unit, we’ve been making music in one form or another since we were at school (which is to say… back in the 90s!), and some of our songs date quite a way back. We started to take it a bit more seriously in the last five or so years.
Who are the musicians involved in your project?
We are Adam Moore (lead guitar), Matthew Moore (rhythm guitar, keys, production), Lloyd Stringer (drums), David Thaxton (vocals, guitar) and Kris Winser (bass). Adam and Matthew are brothers. Matthew and David write the musical and lyrical material, and we also all perform various non-musical functions in the band. Lloyd is a skilled designer and so does our album artwork, Kris is a professional cameraman and videographer so takes care of our live visuals and video-based content / social media. Matthew engineers, mixes and masters the music and we all get involved in the marketing and promotion.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
Musically, we’re a fairly diverse bunch. Lloyd is more commonly found drumming in metal bands, and David is an award-winning musical theatre performer. However, Matthew and David share a strong passion for Radiohead and Pink Floyd, and these are probably the most apparent influences in the music itself, though of course lots of other subconscious musical influences creep in, and we’ve been compared to acts such as Everything Everything and Coldplay.
What is your greatest non-musical influence?
Lyrically, we take influence from a range of sources, but our most recent material definitely has the largest helping of political & social commentary of anything we’ve produced thus far, (though we are certainly not above a good old love- or breakup song either!).
What inspired you to create this project?
The ‘Quiet Frustrations’ that the single refers to are those feelings of helplessness in the face of the external pressures which we all experience in every day life, including financial pressures, the bombardment of bad news from most angles of the media and the general struggle to survive with dignity and stay mentally healthy in an increasingly unpredictable and unreadable world.
What are your plans for the future (musically)?
We are working on a few projects currently including some brand new material, which we feel is some of our strongest and most immediate yet. We’re revisiting one of the songs on the album to release as an EP of different versions and we’re also hoping to play live again soon.