Toronto’s Little Kid get Biblical with witty new single “Thief on the Cross”

“Thief on the Cross” has a lo-fi country sensibility similar to the band’s peers in Pinegrove or (Sandy) Alex G, with a catchy groove and a roughness around its edges. The rhythmic guitar that holds the verses together is pointedly harsh, becoming almost a drone in constant jarring conversation with the track’s glittering acoustic guitar. These warring instruments prove captivating partners to Boothby’s vocal melodies, gluey and sweet but with a tense edge.

The track’s lyrics are a tongue-in-cheek play on the Biblical story of the Penitent Thief – crucified next to Jesus – who asks Christ to remember him when he arrives at his kingdom. With an acidic wit, Boothby positions himself on that cross, his peers in more successful bands playing the part of Christ: ‘Praying you’ll remember me / When you finally reach / The entrance to eternity / I played in that old three piece / We opened for thee / Way back in 2015.’ Yet the Christ figure’s response is hilariously dismissive: ‘Don’t take it personal, you weren’t the first one to ask’. It’s a sharp, amusing take on music community dynamics, biting and self-deprecating in equal measure.

Though Little Kid have been active since 2011, “Thief of the Cross”’s release marks the band’s first ever signing to a label, together with an expanded lineup that signals a promising next phase.

Speaking on the track’s intentions, Boothby explains: "The song is about certain bands finding success while others don’t. Feelings of jealousy that might sprout from that, some perceived obligations for more successful bands to help out the newer ones, the awkwardness that can come from shifts in those power dynamics… but it’s definitely very tongue in cheek. I'm kind of poking fun at myself a bit, kinda praying some bands we have played with will somehow take us along with them to the promised land as they gain more success and exposure."