the Instruction

Hello Darlin

Listening to The Instruction for the first time is a bit like finding $20 in your winter coat, a completely unexpected surprise that makes everything else seem worth it.

With often dark and introspective lyrics draped over power chords, The Instruction (a foursome comprised of Blake Sakal, Wes Hawthorne, Jeremy Stein, and Brandon Terrell) have made their mark through relentless and energetic live shows, sharing the stage with everyone from These United States to Thao with the Get Down Stay Down and MC Chris.  With their SonaBLAST! Records debut, Failure by Design, the group is ready to move forward into the rest of the world. 

Hailing from Louisville, KY, home to such enigmatic and diverse musical icons as Slint, Will Oldham, My Morning Jacket, Rachels and a wide array of 70s punk bands, it shouldn’t be terribly surprising to find The Instruction’s sound as something fresh in the face of an oversaturated indie rock market focused on gimmicks.  This is perhaps never more true than with songs like Mayday, Hello Darlin' & Into the Tomorrow, which display the kind of raw emotion that would be right at home in both the indie charts and commercial radio.  While you can sometimes feel vague nods to their influences, Failure by Design is at all times their own, with songs dripping with power chords, pumping bass, and infectious choruses.  The Instruction is founded on Stein and Terrell’s hermetic rhythm section with guitars that are abrasive in all the right ways, and at the very core of their sound is Sakal’s vocals, which bring to mind the grit and masculine sexuality of Jim Morrison.  Tight production and years of playing together brings the package together, and with a new release, a new record deal, a solid fan base and a series of music festivals on the bill, The Instruction are going to surprise and enrapture you. Listen, Learn, Love.