“Memory Boy” was released in 2016 as a debut album by Tigercub, a UK based band. Around its release, the UK was still in the EU and dealing with the refugee crisis. Many felt that the UK should be better treating those who came to seek asylum in England. Most of the refugees were Middle Eastern escaping the issues surrounding the Syrian War. People were angry and children were separated from their families. At the time there was also an uptick in violence in the UK towards people of color. Many felt strongly about the fact these things were happening and Tigercub was amongst that group. All of Abctract Figures, the album, are written from the perspective of several different groups of people from the crisis. We have onlookers, victims, and parliment and law makers.

Most of the displaced persons were comng from Syria itself but many from the surrounding countries as well. Many were doing it in ways that allowed them to bypass regular migration customs such as crossing the border by sea or on foot in large numbers. These people ran from the rule of Assad in Syria. Back in Syria people were dying at the hands of authrotiarian rule and outrageous rules that if broken had grave consequences.  This jarred the UK who had previously only really had dealt with migrants from Africa who would come in through Italy and move onwards to other countries. The UK was not happy about the large numbers of migrants coming from places like Austria and Germany and they started the plans for Brexit, leaving the EU. Parliament thought it might deter people from seeking out England’s benefits as they would now have to jump through more hoops to stay in the UK. 

Front man and writer of “Memory Boy”, Jamie Hall, spoke very openly about these issues before the release of the song and felt like he wanted to use his band’s voice to comment on everything going on. The band decided that they wanted to create music for those who feel helpless about the situation and give them something to relate to no matter their position. What lends aid to portraying the emotions of the issue as well as the message of the song is the style the song was written in. Tigercub is considered to be an Alternative band with some influences from the British Punk scene. “Memory Boy” leads in with a groveling bassline and dry vocals but does shy away from the harshness of traditional British Punk music. This gave the song an angry yet somber sort of sound. This pairs well with the gravity of the lyrics such as “Your head is filling with blood” and “Their sons and daughters/ Wading the waters/ You may be living and loving/ But they’re all dying for nothing” All of the the elements of the song combined create this silent anger. It unites the way people on the outside feel and urges them to talk about the issues at hand.