Surrendered? Yep, without a fight.
Now then, it's a matter of opinion what grip on reality this writer has, but this single has sorely testing the question to the limit. For over an hour, the single and two B-sides have been on a loop and yet, it's still been impossible to gather an opinion on the songs. You would think that considering they've been around for a decade and a half that some emotions would be forthcoming about The Bluetones but even after play after play after play, the only urge is to play it again and see if something happens the next time.
It doesn't.
Fair play to the band for sticking in there and hanging around for their gaggle of loyal fans and if they are making enough to make a living then it would be wrong to begrudge the band their career but there is just the feel of a stopgap, a pleasant interlude whilst waiting for something better.
Perhaps it's time for confessions here but there was one Bluetones song that I thought was great. It wasn't any of the singles, as simplistic and jangly as they were but 'Putting Out Fires' was a rather beautiful and emotional track that seemed to be greater than anything else the band had in their arsenal. It still seems that way.
'Surrendered' is alright, from its bright and breezy intro, its downbeat lyrics hidden in a happy melody to the inevitable slowdown section. It's just alright, it doesn't grab you at any point and with new material coming soon from Arctic Monkeys, Arcade Fire and Kings Of Leon, it would be an unbelievably brave, or suicidal, radio presenter that gave this track airtime compared to the major hitters.
This leaves The Bluetones in exactly the same place they were in before they released this single – with a small yet devoted fanbase and very little else.
If the band and fans are happy with that then there's no need to weep any tears for them, then again, it's hard to gather up any emotion for them at the moment, so carry on about your business as normal. After all, as one of the lyrics in 'Putting Out Fires' ran "Is there anything left to save now anyway?"