The last time I checked in with Days Spent was 2021, around the time the Florida hardcore band released their kickass Tourist EP. Since they recently dropped a new EP in Grieve/Thrive, I decided to chat with vocalist Nancy Crozier to get an update on the group.
"We have mostly been playing locally and wrote as much as possible," said the singer via email. "We released 'Memorial' in March as a single, and followed with a weekender with Pure Bliss when they were touring Florida. This helped us gain some momentum in recording the Grieve/Thrive EP this past summer, hoping to match the same energy we had on that track.
"Our guitar player welcomed a new member into his family, and we stepped away from playing shows to allow him the time. We recorded a music video with our friend Matt Zagorski for 'Best Wishes' in anticipation for the new EP, which came out October 20th."
The new material on Grieve/Thrive is the strongest Days Spent material yet, so it's not surprising the hard work Nancy and the band put into it. "We went into the studio knowing this one needed to feel different. I had spent a lot of time and energy making sure the lyrics and stories behind each song were meaningful, which went hand in hand with these powerful, solid songs.
"I've always imagined this band would have a unique voice amongst the vague messaging of most heavy bands, so I pushed a very straightforward narrative and didn't want to hold back."
I asked the vocalist to offer some insight on the songs. "'Remain' talks about the white privileged man who protests abortion. 'Best Wishes' is about manipulative personalities who spread false narratives for their gain. 'Jade's Song' is a call to cancel abusive behaviors in social circles while protecting your friends, and 'Memorial' discusses the honest reality of fentanyl-related deaths and the enabling behaviors surrounding them.
"We chose to include 'Memoria'l on the EP, which was also recorded, mixed and mastered by Nick Diiorio of Thunderhouse Sound. We felt all these songs needed to be heard together."
With the EP out now, Days Spent will be playing sporadic shows throughout their region, with some weekenders also expected. With that in mind, I asked Nancy about her thoughts on the hardcore/punk scene in Florida right now.
"We are based on the Central East Coast of Florida, and since COVID have seen a shift in strictly bar venues hosting hardcore shows, allowing only a 21+ crowd. We know this wasn't ideal for the large number of young kids who got into hardcore during the pandemic.
"We're starting to feel the ripples from the community in moving away from those types of venues, and back to all-ages shows at more inclusive spaces. We are extremely supportive in this effort and hope to encourage its growth, as we came up in a scene where we were welcomed at a young age. This is the most important improvement we need.
"As for bands we love dearly and want to see take over the world- Cold Steel, 430 Steps, Pure Bliss, Porch Coffin, TrashWorld, Damage Done, and Migrant Fury."
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Hit the Days Spent Linktree to find all of their social media pages.
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