Like a sleeker, sexier Smashing Pumpkins ballad, Club Intl’s “Ash Is Gone” is an instant classic. From the first phrase, frontman John Eatherly invites us into a dimly lit world decorated with soft ooo’s and tinkling synths. It’s 80s-esque, without being cheesy; romantic, without being heavy-handed.
The song feels as if Eatherly is coming to terms with his past and how that will influence his future. It’s a turning point. He’s accepted a reality and realizes it is not worth the vain attempts to shift it. Between the repeated chimes and synths, the track lulls you into an almost hypnotic state where memories can clearly sift through your mind — correlating with what Eatherly is singing of.
About the single, Eatherly shares, “Love is the measurement of how much one can endure. The darkest hour is when you have lost your way & become a stranger to yourself. Trust is letting go & fate is the inevitable. Only when the ash is gone & the smoke has cleared can you begin to see again.”
Club Intl also announced that their debut record, In The Attic, will be out March 2021 via Italians Do It Better.