Nottingham indie band Cucamaras, who return with their latest single 'Safe Bet'

Cucamaras’ ‘Safe Bet’: an honest song about the daunting reality of uni life

Cucamaras is a Nottingham-based band consisting of Josh Hart, Olly Bowley, Dan McGrath and Joe Newton.

When they first started, the band explored indie rock by creating songs such as ‘Please Not Tonight’ and ‘Lime Street Liar’, but recently they are moving more and more towards punk rock, creating music that suits their style with deeper and more complex lyrics.

After hearing ‘Death of the Social’ for the first time, focusing on the social divides and change in society, I knew Cucamaras had tremendous potential and a lot to offer.

What I love about their songs is that you can clearly hear their musical talent, but you can also tell that they are intelligent guys who have deep thoughts about their experiences and what surrounds them.

Nottingham indie band Cucamaras

With that in mind, ‘Safe Bet‘ offers something completely different from their last single.

Written by Josh Hart a year ago, it talks about how the typical uni experiences is, as many of us know is overwhelming at times.

It is the period, when we are no longer children but not quite adults yet, and it is very confusing.

We don’t know who we are, we make a lot of bad decisions, we unintentionally hurt others, we rely too much on our mates and try not to get depressed at the same time.

And that’s what Safe Bet is all about.

Vocalist Hart said: “Safe Bet was written whilst I was in university. It was one of the first times I’d written about direct experiences – not my own, but what I was observing at the time.”

The cover image for 'Safe Bet'

The song navigates through all the possible emotions that twenty-year-olds feel.

One second you think you fancy someone and in the next one… ‘you tell her your heart is not in it.’

Safe Bet is a draining reminder that you have not yet figured it all out and that, in fact, student life is one big tangle in your head.

What is great about this song is that it doesn’t glorify being young and lost.

Yes, of course it’s an exciting time, but it’s good to hear something honest about the mess that comes into your life when you have no idea how to handle other people, or yourself, properly.

My favourite line is: “You kinda feel like crying and your housemates are home for the weekend.”

It just shows how much of our happiness we put on other people. I guess this is part of growing up. It is a time to stop relying on others to such an extent.

However, there is something very melancholic to me that it feels like a void when your flatmates are gone and you sit home alone wondering what to do.

It reminds me a bit of the time when you lived with your parents and at first you wanted them to leave the house, but when they didn’t come back for too long, you didn’t know what to do with yourself.

Nottingham indie band Cucamaras

After all, I think Safe Bet is a great song – one of the best the band has produced.

Most of us can definitely identify with it, while the different musical elements it features, especially Newton’s drums, are on point. I’m really looking forward to new singles and future shows.

If you would like to see Cucamaras live, which I strongly recommend, they will appear at the rescheduled 2022 editions of Y Not Festival and Splendour Festival, for which you can book tickets now.

The band also have an upcoming gig at the Bodega on October 8, with tickets still available to purchase.

Feature Image Credit: Lander PR

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