Listening to music causes our brains to release dopamine, a neurotransmitter that increases our ability to feel pleasure and motivation. It can also positively impact heart rate (among other functions) and help control nausea, which is especially helpful when every day brings a new litany of disgusting GOP malfeasance and cruelty. Though neuroscientists believe that any music you love can trigger these chemical changes, not all songs are equal in the “feel good” department.
So in this psyche-crushing year, a new Damned EP is welcome news. The Rockfield Files (Spinefarm) was recorded at Rockfield Studios, where in 1980 and ’81 the band made some of their most celebrated releases, including The Black Album. The new EP’s four tracks feature three members present at the original Rockfield sessions: Vanian, Sensible, and bassist Paul Gray. Even when the songs sound bright and upbeat, their themes aren’t necessarily sunny—opener “Keep ‘Em Alive” incorporates Magical Mystery Tour ambience into a song about protecting the environment, while “The Spider & the Fly” tells a murderous love story from the perspective of an arachnid. Just last week the Damned shared more good news: in 2021 the band’s four founding members—Vanian, Sensible, Rat Scabies, and Brian James—will reunite for the first time since 1989 for a handful of shows. v
