A sin perhaps more grievous than my admission of being a fan of The Garden is that I’ve waited almost a month to sit down and consume their latest singles.
The Garden, an experimental (that’s one way to put it) rock band hailing from Orange County, defines itself with punk-infused, eclectic sounds that continually push the bounds of genre, a concept the band refers to as “Vada Vada,” the name of the “universe” in which all The Garden tracks diegetically exist.
The band got its start in 2013 with the debut album “The Life and Times of a Paperclip,” and has continued to develop its sound since, gaining massive popularity — and some infamy — in the alternative scene.
Cover for “Mirror Might Steal Your Charm” by The Garden
Although labeled by many as a “TikTok music,” The Garden’s work has great artistic merit. Earlier releases like “Call This # Now” and “🙁” (from the album “Mirror Might Steal Your Charm“) are instrumentally and aesthetically robust, towing the line between garage punk and straight-up avant-garde.
While The Garden has played with various flavors of “strange punk music,” their most recent album, “Horsesh– On Route 66” represented what I consider to be an archetypal “The Garden style,” laden with bizarre soundbytes, silly sound effects and grunge-tinged vocals.
Cover for “Horsesh– on Route 66” by The Garden
I’ll be honest: after soaking in the release of “Route 66,” I wondered if The Garden had already reached the extent of its capabilities. The Shears brothers’s respective side projects, Puzzle and Enjoy, were comparatively more prolific than The Garden. I wouldn’t have been surprised if The Garden announced a split after the completion of their “Route 66” tour.
Thus, it was a great surprise when the band dropped two singles — teasers for another album titled “Six Desperate Ballads” — within a few months of each other.
“Filthy Rabbit Hole”
Probably the closest The Garden has gotten thus far to capturing the classic punk sounds of the 80s, “Filthy Rabbit Hole” is laden with vigorous, distorted guitar.
The California-tinged vocals of Wyatt Shears ground the track in nostalgic, almost beachy garage-rock and the simple and repetitive lyrics — “I’m blacked out/ I’m back down” — are fun and rhythmic. While not a particularly “inspired” song, it’s got a catchy and danceable beat.
“Ballet”
My favorite of the two releases, “Ballet” is something of a club anthem: electronic, upbeat and hypnotically syncopated.
Vocal duties shift between Wyatt and Fletcher, with various soundbytes woven throughout. While “Ballet” and “Filthy Rabbit Hole” differ drastically in style, they have complementary elements — a similarly gritty, grunge-filtered quality — that makes them work. I’m interested in seeing where these two tracks fit in the full album.
Yukimi Nagano for the cover of her new single "Break Me Down."
Yukimi Nagano, best known as part of the experimental indietronica/R&B gorgeousness that is Little Dragon, released a track called “Break Me Down” on October 9, 2024. I love Yukimi Nagano (my car is named after the woman), so I’m pretty thrilled about it.
It has the same quirky blazing synths and piano notes Little Dragon unique to Little Dragon’s sound, but it’s just the slightest bit edgier—the track almost reminds me of something off of Jim James’ “Eternally Even.”
“Break Me Down” is sweet and triumphant like a revelation of capability, as Nagano sings, “[E]very day I’m reborn like a new reveal.” Another line, “[E]very day that I wake and I let in love / And I hope that you know my heart’s enough,” is something to be written on a sticky note, posted on a bathroom mirror to see in the mornings.
I will admit I’m not as intrigued by it as I am with some of Little Dragon’s other work, like “Rush” or “The Other Lover,” featuring Moses Sumney — for context, Little Dragon often has off-the-wall elements that make their songs peculiar at first listen, and completely charming by the third — but maybe Nagano’s simpler approach to her solo debut has a purpose as something foundational. Her voice is still as beautiful and summery as ever, and the track is sunny; I’m excited to see the direction she takes on her own.
Locals Only! is set to return with a new and spectacular lineup on Oct. 10 at Neptunes. In addition to hosting some amazing artists, this Locals Only! is also in support of Western North Carolina and those affected by Hurricane Helene, with a $5-$10 sliding cover charge depending on how much attendees would like to donate.
QWILT
Qwilt is a self-described supergroup from the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. The band blends airy dream-pop vocals with plenty of shoegaze and post-rock instrumentation for a wonderfully unique sound.
Although they don’t have many songs out, their first two singles indicate a promising future for the group.
Favorite Song: “Play Dead”
RAVINE
Likewise, Ravine is sure to bring up the energy at this Locals Only! As a pop-rock band from Nashville, Tennessee, their hard-hitting lyricism calls back to mind icons of the genre such as Nightly and The 1975 while still carving out their own special niche.
Favorite Song: “love me / let go”
VERITY DEN
Verity Den, another North Carolina native, comes straight from Carrboro. Much like Qwilt, Verity Den brings some unique shoe-gaze and pop influences with melodies that flow straight off the track and into your hearts.
Although they certainly know how to amp it up, Verity Den is equally talented at stripping the instrumentation back and letting their vocals shine, much like on my personal favorite track of theirs “prudence.” Their versatility will certainly be the perfect way to round out our sets for this upcoming Locals Only!
Favorite Song: “prudence”
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Remember, you can catch all of these wonderful bands at 8 p.m. sharp at Neptunes on Oct. 10. We here at WKNC hope you can come out and support both these artists and those affected by Hurricane Helene.
