The Social Animals’ new single is the equivalent of a drunk text.

We are often at our most vulnerable when inebriated, which is why drunken texts are a thing of shame and regret. Yet it’s quite interesting to apply this to The Social Animals, who have just released a single that was born of drunken vocal recordings – Cheer Up Charlie.

Playing to the band’s introspective strengths, the single is a rousing alt-rock throwdown that is rich in tragic melody. Every instrumental line and uttered syllable feels drenched in a deep emotional pain, which is hardly surprising given the song’s origins. And while the track’s title might give the impression of positivity, the phrase itself is full of bleak defeatism.

In the words of vocalist Dedric Clark, The Social Animals’ newest “is as raw and personal as I get. I recorded the vocal in a haze on an iPad in one go before I really knew the lyrics. Feels a little like looking through your texts after a long night of drinking; you can delete them, but the other person still has them.”