Hannah Kate // End of the Day // Track Review

Photo Credit to Archibald McGill

Naarm’s quartet Hannah Kate have just released End of the Day, their smooth, tightly arranged alt pop-rock track that hints at a slightly more deliberate sound for us to anticipate in the band’s debut LP later this 2025.

Couchdog are huge fans of the music that Hannah Kate produces. We were lucky enough to review Hannah's single last year titled Test Run. Which you can read here. Test run was a testament to the sheer talent coming from musicians in Naarm, especially in the garage rock genre. A staple of bars northside of the city, this grungy and catchy brand of rock is exemplified by by Hannah Kate and her band with End of the Day, which proves to be a continued run of form, following on from Test Run.

Joined recently by guitarist Alice Shannon - the new single evolves their tone, shifting toward warmer, pop-affected harmonics and plucky melodies. Over a steady, unhurried groove, Hannah’s lyrics are a wry self-expression describing her awareness of an isolating existentialism she has overcome.While Alice’s guitar folds in tumbling phrases, and the bass gradually fills the space with warm grooves; the opening verse, “I’ve got an existential feeling I’m not really living my best life” - lands like a late-night admission, setting a conversational tone that runs throughout this track.

Photo credit to Archibald McGill

Echoing percussion hexes the chorus, and Hannah not demanding our attention, but nonetheless holding it in confidence grills us, “Are you on my level?”. The bass plods along, pleased with itself, the guitar plays sonically witty, this brooding sensation we feel confronts our own identity.Where previous singles leaned on bright hooks or sudden breakdowns, End of the Day holds back. The arrangement leaves room for pauses and silences, giving weight to the song’s reflective mood.

Then “Maybe in some way, I’m part of something bigger” - flipping Hannah’s existentialism on itself, part question, part acceptance - “If I find out I’ll tell ya”.

If this is the direction Hannah Kate will be taking for their upcoming album, they seem interested in building songs that invite repeat listens to investigate. So pay close attention!

Recorded by Fabian Hunter from Fishbone Tone Shack Studio and mixed and mastered by Sam Swain from Sunset Pigs Studios. Music video shot and directed by Henry Evans.

Make sure to follow Hannah Kate here!

LYRICS:

I had a dream I wasn’t so bored in isolation

Imagine waking up early knowing exactly what you’re doing

Must be nice

I’ve got an existential feeling I’m not really living my best life

Day to day door to door I’ve always wanted something more

Chorus:

At the end of the day

It’s just another way to feel special

I’m partially sane

Are you on my level

It's a nice thing to do sit in the dark, contemplate

I feel stressed still dont know how to deal

I feel pressured to uphold the standards you didn’t choose

Go to school get a job, do your part it’s not that hard

Chorus:

At the end of the day

It's just another way to feel special

I’m partially sane

Are you on my level

Maybe in some way

I’m part of something bigger

That we don’t understand

If I found out I’ll tell ya