Hopeful. Releases A Surf-Rock Love Letter to Their Wives with New Single 'Words Don't Pay'
From the shores of Oceanside, California comes Hopeful., alternative rock's newest band, creating music that kicks hopelessness in the teeth. Comprised of Randy James on lead vocals, Hunter Jackson on lead guitar, Eddie Bulena on rhythm guitar, and James Barragan on drums, Hopeful. is reminiscent of bands like The Killers, Colony House, and Kings of Leon, but with their own unique surf-rock spin.
In February 2024, the group released their debut EP, When the Turbulence Hits, a five-track collection of songs centered on the hope the band found in dark times. Now, they're back with one of their most personal tracks yet: "Words Don't Pay."
Available today (August 30) on all streaming platforms via https://wingsmusic.lnk.to/WordsDontPay, "Words Don't Pay" is both an apology and a surf-rock love letter to the wives of Hopeful..
"Our vows mean nothing if our actions don't match them. 'Words Don't Pay' is all about how our actions carry more weight than our words," said Randy. "It's our tendency as humans to say 'I'm sorry' when we do something wrong, but 'Sorry' doesn't pay the bills. The only way to rebuild the trust with a loved one is through action. It's through change."
The three-minute track is a windows-down song that will transport listeners to Hopeful.'s hometown of Oceanside. Opening with a slowed tempo and transforming to an all-out surf-rock ballad in the third verse, "Words Don't Pay" takes Hopeful. to new heights both sonically and lyrically. The chorus confesses, "Words don't pay/She wants some change/Not just I'm sorry/Quit paying with sorry."
Produced by Gable Price (founder of Gable Price and Friends), "Words Don't Pay" marks a new era for the band. As they continue to refine their sound, they're evolving into the surf-rock band their debut EP hinted at. The future of Hopeful. is going to be filled with "a lot of really cool surprises that people aren't going to want to miss," Randy shared.
"Words Don't Pay" is the first song in a series of singles set to release throughout the fall and into early 2025.
