Getting into slowcore and the ever-expanding spectrum of shoegaze sublets can be intimidating. While the muffled, overdriven guitars, whispered vocals, and endless reverb create soundscapes like no other genres, the homework necessary to fully appreciate the sound can prove vast and unwelcoming (I'll be the first to admit that much). It’s easy to feel like an outsider navigating the maze of overly melancholy lyricism and the convoluted discourse surrounding overbearing band gatekeeping, but as you find your footing within the music itself, you’ll find slowcore and shoegazers' protectiveness is born of love— a fierce devotion to these niche, vulnerable pockets of the sonic universe.
some fear originally formed in 2021 as a solo project in Oklahoma City, OK (which you might recognize as the home of our good friends, Husbands), as an exercise in songwriting for now founder and lead singer, Branden “Bran” Palesano. As the project evolved into a full band with the addition of Ray Morgan, Lennon Bramlett, and James Tunell, Palesano's vision deepened, further developing coarse layers to their pensive, balmy sound.
"The Road," some fear's third single from their upcoming self-titled album, makes no effort to pull it's punches. It's abrasive and gravelly, like shaving a rock with a cheese grater. The sonic wall of the single is overtured by the gentle plucking of the lead guitar, a haunting, lonesome lick that sounds almost perfectly out of tune atop the wave of white noise permeating from the undercarriage of the instrumental. This is replaced quickly by the over-distorted racket of the rhythm guitar, lead in and closely tracked along by muddy fuzz feedback. It all sounds so primitive, primal even; like they're trying less to squeeze out a note and more so to desperately express an emotion still undefined.
Though "The Road" comes across as distressed and belligerent upon first listen, tucked back behind the intensity lies a more tender, perhaps juvenile core. Buried beneath all the effect pedals and a slow, gentle strumming pattern, one that methodically and expertly blends and warps the pleasingly discordant style of the single. Palesano's vocal performance becomes the quiet anchor of the song, complimenting the murky electric haze conjured up in the instrumental with his calm, static delivery and downtrodden lyrical content.
"The Road" feels like a paradox, unrefined but deliberate, and gently chaotic. Its abrasive exterior and primal distortion act as a shield, guarding the bleeding heart of the track. Behind the haze of feedback and fuzz pedals, there’s a raw sincerity that lingers long after the song fades out. It’s a necessary emotional purge, beautifully imperfect and impossible to ignore.
Rob Lucchesi
some fear
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