Posable Action Figures start 2023 off with incredible new single “Shank”.
For their first single since the release of their 2021 album, It Is What It Is, Posable Action Figures have brought British slang into the world of music. The word “shank” literally means to stab at something or someone. It’s a violent term but the Edinburgh based duo somehow manage to put it amongst much more pleasant sounding words.
The lyrics “you got a soft glance, giving me that slow shank,” takes an aggressive term and describes it in a way it wouldn’t normally be. A harsh term like that would usually be done with anger or rage. But this is in a different context. Perhaps “slow shank” could mean an emotional or mental attack rather than the typical physical attack. The use of the word “soft” could also imply a sense of manipulation, as it is the opposite to the violent term.
In another part of the song, “you’re a stone’s throw, I should throw away,” are sung by frontman Gareth Goodlad. This could describe someone being more of a hindrance to you than anything else. Saying you “should” throw someone away would mean that you know they aren’t any good, but there’s something about them that you want to keep around. This could also relate to a relationship with someone close that has continued longer than it perhaps should have. I think this would relate to a lot of listeners, there is always someone we’ve kept around longer than necessary.
Lyrically, this track is amazing but it is also strong musically. Kyle Grieve begins the song on drums, sounds of distorted guitar and vocals also make an appearance. There’s something about this track that is similar to songs by The Killers and by Queens of the Stone Age. So if you’re a fan of those bands, this track will definitely appeal to you.