Sienna Skies - 'brick' single review
- Zara Fraser
- Apr 25
- 2 min read
90s nostalgia meets 2025 rock as the hit single ‘Brick’, originally by Ben Folds Five, is revamped in a new cover by Sienna Skies. If you’re a fan of the original track you’ll know that the song has a raw, heart-wrenching story behind it, which is conveyed beautifully in the softness of the song. Ben Folds was quoted as saying “I didn't really want to write this song from any kind of political standpoint, or make a statement. I just wanted to reflect what it feels like” (GENIUS.COM). With such an emotion-filled, momentous song to cover I wasn’t sure whether modern rock would be able to achieve the same feeling as the original. Not only have Sienna Skies paid incredible homage to the song, but this is one of the few covers that I will confidently say I enjoy even more than the original.
The band have retained the softness in the opening of this cover with gentle sounding drums, piano and guitar. When the vocals are introduced they provide us with a calm, comforting feeling to juxtapose the heaviness and immense sadness hidden in the lyrics. The band adapts lyrics such as “her mum and dad went down to Charlotte”, instead adding in “Melbourne”. This adaptation adds to the feeling that this isn’t merely a cover; the band is truly embracing this song as something meaningful to them. During the Pre-chorus the drums and guitar intensify and lead us into a true rock performance. The pain conveyed in the original tracks soft singing is now conveyed by belting out the melody, as if painfully screaming it out into the void. Suddenly you realise that the message is the same, yet the delivery has been completely transformed.
In a December 2016 Interview with SCENEzine, guitarist Nick Musgrave stated “Lyrically, the album (A Darker Shade of Truth) takes on a much broader scope of topics which are perhaps not as light as previous albums, but that also reflects our view of the world changing as we’ve got older.” Add 9 years on to that already impactful statement and you can truly see how the band have embraced difficult themes in their work. This cover took on a classic track with a profound back story and gave it new life and a new sound. The track is addictive and will be on your 'on repeat' playlist within a few listens.
Sienna Skies are a post-hardcore/alternative rock band from the city of Sydney, Australia. The band formed in March 2006 and have been dropping heavy music bangers ever since. They’ve shared the stage with acts such as Underoath, The Amity Affliction and Pierce the Veil. Sienna Skies are performing at darkside festival in Wollongong on 26th April and we're sure this is just the beginning of a whirlwind 2025 for the band.
