Newcastle’s Ten Eighty Trees are back swinging with their new single, “Bare Minimum,” a soul-baring anthem for anyone just trying to keep their head above water.
“Bare Minimum” is a slice of controlled chaos. A searing cocktail mixing early power pop shine, the track is a mission statement from a band that trades in emotional release and unapologetic volume. Ten Eighty Trees gets down to business with loud, honest, and infectiously catchy rock music. The Newcastle trio spills all their frustration and energy into a song that sounds like a confession and a scream. It’s sweaty basement punch drums, gnarly guitar tones, and a chorus that practically asks to be shouted back by a band’s audience.
The lyrics are powerful and straightforward. There’s a lived-in weariness to the lines about burnout and barely getting by, a theme that plays out all too predictably now. In a world that insists on doing the most, “Bare Minimum” is a defiant middle finger and a call to arms for anyone who feels fulfilled by expectations. But while it’s gritty and growly, there’s a rebellious sort of joy in the song’s honesty. Ten Eighty Trees are pushing through and shouting from the rooftop.