Tired of working through the record, mix, master, release, rinse and repeat cycle for a full-length release, Tower Defense embarked on a new era of self-recording and more frequent releasing. The band is slated to release four brand new singles mixed with covers of their influences and favorite tracks. “Friendly Factions” is the third release within this series.

Bassist & Vocalist Mike Shepherd says of the track:

This was a composition that we wrote as a band, from conception to final arrangement, mostly in the course of one rehearsal. The working title was “Variations,” as we were playing with the same sequence of three chords being repeated in different rhythmic and melodic settings. When it came time to write lyrics, all I had was the chorus hook, “Approach the city at night.” So I started thinking about why that admonition would be important, and landed on a narrative about a small group of Nashvillians retreating to Memphis following the fall of the State Capitol. I was imagining a tattered leaflet with instructions for folks to make the trip using backroads, along with information about where resources could be found.

Tower Defense regularly writes about Nashville, politics and the struggles between the two. “Friendly Factions” registers as a scary, but not unrealistic, premonition. Classic tales like Cormac McCarthy's The Road or P. D. James' Children of Men come to mind as our protaganist finds messages from others seeking solace from the deluge of terrible decision making.

“U Got the Look” is just a classic face ripper from Jeff the Brotherhood.