We are honoured to premiere the latest video from the always-outstanding Icarus Phoenix. In the video, we follow the band around Tokyo as they take in the sights (check out that giant Godzilla) and perform on tour. With rolling drums, pulsing bass and swirling guitars, ‘The Things You Never Told Me’ grows into an epic song. Drew Danburry’s singing is typically pure and tuneful, buoyed by some beautiful backing from Leena Rhodes. The song’s engaging melody and the lightness of the vocals mask the song’s darker themes, which are thrown into relief by the accessible nature of the music.
The lyrics are deeply personal and absolutely heartbreaking. The final two lines leave the listener staggered by their directness and honesty – this is truly moving music, stark and eliciting an emotional response: “I asked for more but you had nothing. I asked for more but things just die. // I walked away from our son and family. I walked away from my whole life.”
Drew said of the song: “When confronted with major life changes we find out who we are at our core. Writing these songs helped me wrap my head around the reality of not just a difficult breakup but navigating a co-parenting process with a person actively trying to push me out of my son’s life. The attempts to empathize and understand a person who is actively attacking your perception of events is a fantastic exercise in letting go and going with the flow. To hold firm boundaries but not react in anger is a delicate test of balance and these aren’t lessons that can be taught outside of experience, but my hope is that someone else can relate to and/or understand their own struggles better in experiencing these songs. The most difficult thing about a separation is how the foundation with which you’ve built your reality becomes water. Rebuilding that foundation of who you are is difficult. Especially when the foundation you’ve relied on in the past is now not only questionable but aggressively warping your reality. We’ve all dealt with sadness. With difficulties in life. That’s what this album is about. Confront the sadness. Learn from it. Become light.”
The song is from the fourth Icarus Phoenix album, ‘I Should Have Known the Things You Never Said’, which is released today, 15th August 2024, alongside this video. Songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Drew Danburry says the album is, “…so special to me. Having navigated a particularly difficult divorce which forced me to move across the country for a job and leave my son behind created an atmosphere for self-reflection and growth. Touching on extremely personal issues in a way that anyone can relate to, I think it’s more than special to me, but potentially for others as well.” Indeed, anyone who has experienced loss or the unravelling of a long-term relationship will be able to relate to Danburry’s openhearted, emotive songs. Recorded with producer Jed Jones (Post Malone, The Killers), the album was written in 2021-2022 following Danburry’s divorce.
Danburry has been releasing music, almost entirely DIY, for over 20 years. In that time, he has delivered more than 400 songs on over 20 albums and 13 EPs. That’s a startling achievement and testament to his undiminished creativity and work ethic. Since Icarus Phoenix was formed in 2020, there have been a number of line-ups. Currently, Danburry is joined by: Eli Sims (drums), Leena Rhodes (guitar/vocals/synths) and Brendan Russell (bass). They’re a talented group and, together, they are set to deliver one of the albums of the year. We urge you to check it out.
