In the summer just passed, Opus Kink issued their first full-length record, The Sweet Goodbye. Today, the band returns with a fresh single known as “Low Roader,” and it’s a fierce kick of energy. The track reimagines the traditional Scottish folk tune often titled The Bonnie Banks o’ Loch Lomond — the one that fans recognize from the line “O ye’ll tak’ the high road, and I’ll tak’ the low road” — bending it into something wholly original. While the original ballad mourns lovers torn apart by death, Low Roader adopts a far less solemn mood.
The tempo carries a dark edge, with a hint of swagger creeping into the chorus. Saxophones swirl overhead like predatory birds, and surf-rock guitar riffs lend an extra dose of grit. The result is a compulsively catchy blend that sits somewhere between ska-punk and jazzy rockabilly.
Frontman Angus Rogers explained that:
“Low Roader” grapples with complacency, ignorance and historical amnesia. The verse melody is borrowed from the traditional Scottish song “Loch Lomond.” The “low road” signifies the mythical path by which the dead return to their homeland. It’s already at your door.
Give it a listen below.
