by Keira Anee

Calva Louise are a Blackpool band from Venezuela, France and New Zealand. Jess (vocals and guitars), Alizon (bass) and Ben (drums).

Tomorrow, they release ‘Third Class Citizen’.

We really only acknowledge a First Class. You can upgrade to first class on a train by having more money, but if you don’t, your seat and class is nameless. Third class.

However, this Third Class Citizen gives you million pound tingles from the start. It’s smart, direct, futuristic, confident and HEAVY. 

Crafting from the bottom I built a solid structure 

You think you are entitled to bomb it and destroy us

You cannot pretend that respect equals authority

We’re not the internee to justify your misery

I’m not a fucking third class citizen

And neither are you but you’re asking me to kiss your feet

Third Class citizen

The honour of being the breaking point that led to Third Class Citizen is dedicated to no-one.

“As it is a symbolic story, the objective is not precise at all, but rather emphasises that the struggle is constant”. 

It’s almost hard to not see the song as a whole, but pick the bomb apart. The drums are hypnotising, marching to your own personal karma. Guitar inspired, and bass and backing vocals smooth, rough, and essential. I’m going crazy writing this, I just can’t find worthy words!

Probably we’ve all been pushed aside and viewed as lesser beings – to varying extents. The catharsis in seeing this song performed live or listening to this single is really something. For me personally the heavy riff brings me back to when I was a teenager with heavy music being dominated by men (well, in the media anyway). To hear Jess scream this frustration in this dominant and biting way is EXCITING. The energy transfers and it is a room full of people feeling able to demand their worth, “Respect Motherfucker!”

I feel sorry that my teenage self did not have this experience, but really, it is just as moving now. It would seem that Fred Durst (you may remember, he too enjoyed screaming motherfucker. I think because he wanted to break some stuff) too is a fan, having commented on the preview on Tik Tok.

“The basic idea of Third Class Citizen comes from the will of not accepting to be directed by circumstances, but to accept the influence of our own will.”

Third Class Citizen is energy to get up and do it, it looks possible. In your headphones, it’s the look you give that guy that asks your boyfriend questions you’ve already answered: Try me all you want you will never have a grip on me. 

While this may be Calva Louise’s heaviest work to date, the power of Jess’ vocals can be heard as far back as songs like Cruel Girl, from ‘Rhinoceros’ in 2019. Their second album released in 2021, the band’s sound is changing.

Jess articulates,

“The changes are rather an evolution of style based on the latest songs. Although they sound different, they do have a lot in common in their essence. Which is giving way to a new, more powerful and explosive impulse, because it is fueled by experience and continuous effort.”

The music alone builds a powerful visual, a buzz that is about to explode. To add to this fuel, the (self made) video expands this by worlds: using only limited tools, the video is created, well, creatively.

“We had to be inventive with what we had in hand, so Alizon found various ways of getting things prepared. For example he climbed inside the ceiling of our practice room so we could film an “aerial” shot of Ben playing drums!”

Following on from the (again, brilliantly DIY made) film made for Euphoric, in third Class Citizen:  ‘…the travellers and their energetic doubles must protect their inner will from the control of the mechanical spiders, a species of inorganic beings that have kidnapped the Hedronships with their commanders’.

Just, wow..

See you there!

“The video has parts filmed by the three of us which I was introducing in programs like unreal engine, blender and After effects where I was able to create the context of a world where the world of dreams and the real world converge.

The creation and production of the video is part of a sequence that has been developing since our first songs and that is evolving from various angles of perception of the duality of the human being.

It is like building relationships on solid and deep foundations, where we share our energy with that of the audience, it is an exchange of energy that stimulates and brightens the experience, by mentioning symbolic themes that are related to daily life and destiny.”

Jess

The band will be on the YouTube chat with friend Mazare to talk about the production of the track, and the making of the video in more detail! 

Third Class Citizen video premieres TONIGHT, Wednesday 18th January on Calva Louise Youtube channel at: 10pm GMT/ 5pm EST/ 2pm PST