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We are psyched to bring you ‘Trust No. 1,’ the abrasive yet melodic new single by indie/emo rock outfit Time Spent Driving. It is the second song to be taken off the band’s upcoming ‘Estrangers Vol. 1’ EP, out this Friday on Cardigan Records. Highly recommended for fans of Sense Field.

Vocalist Jon Cattivera about the song:

“We wanted something that burst right out of the gates musically—loud and raw, and well, more punk rock. I think this may be the first song we’ve ever had that starts with the chorus. It’s about trusting yourself and not relying on the trust, honesty, or loyalty of others. Taking people under your wing, being their champion, believing them; just to have them bail on you with no explanation. Sometimes people would rather avoid confrontation than having a dialog that could uncover what’s really going on, and that’s a bummer.”

Since reforming in 2012 and releasing ‘Passed and Presence’ in 2015, Santa Cruz, CA’s Time Spent Driving has been quietly whittling away on songs for the follow-up. Intending to finish a full-length, the uncertainty of the COVID crisis bottlenecked the plan. They decided to release the album in two parts that will ultimately culminate in an LP.

Each of the five songs on ‘Estrangers Vol. 1’ manages to offer up a different side of the band, with what may be the most honest, succinct, and powerful set of songs they've ever released. From the short and abrasive opener "Trust No. 1", to the calmly-wound tension of "Not Just Ink", to the dark, brutal dissonance in "Wake Up and Smell the Daisies"—every turn rings with a sense of maturity, poise, and grace. When the timing is right, they'll finish the additional material in the studio, which will culminate in a Vol. 2 EP, making for a proper full-length.

Cattivera about the EP:

“Where we wanted the songs on the Passed and Presence LP to be unapologetically long and sprawling, we wanted the follow-up to be the antithesis—more raw, simple and succinct. On the LP, it was a juxtaposition of both brand new songs plus a handful of song ideas I had been kicking around since we had broken up. On the new EP, it’s fresh and new from top to bottom. The title "Estrangers" came about because there’s a recurring theme in the lyrics surrounding life relationships that can either be tarnished or disappear altogether, and often you don’t have a say. We’re excited to get these songs out there.”