Friendship Commanders close their album "BEAR" with an emotionally visceral track, "DEAD & DISCARDED GIRLS." It stands solidly at the crossroads of Hard Rock and Alternative Rock, serving as both a tribute and a confrontation and an outlet for grief, anger, and the plea for human compassion. The song, which was partly influenced by the 1997 death of Reena Virk, addresses the broader theme of society's expectation of a personal connection before offering empathy.
Rather than telling her story, the song captures the emotional baggage of her death and the unfairness, the anguish of what can happen when compassion is nowhere to be found. The song, which Buick Audra co-produced with his old bandmate Jerry Roe and his frequent collaborator Kurt Ballou, is as brutal as it is densely detailed. Ballou's artfully mixed elements are all the more effective at delivering that emotional depth, capturing performances that ring true, human, and raw.
The track's symbology of water, in both its significance for Reena's story and the emotional undercurrent, establishes a textual coherence that endures long after the sounds fade. Their music video, directed by Jerry Roe, dropped on the anniversary of her death, adding an intense layer of emotional depth. Even without the visual, the track is a powerful memorial in its own right. "DEAD & DISCARDED GIRLS" is weighty, poignant, and essential.
Discover Friendship Commanders on Instagram, Facebook