by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
Philadelphia’s Buddie originally began as the solo project of Dan Forrest but they band have long since cemented themselves as a quartet, a new fully collaborative band. Following the release of last year’s Change of Scenery EP on Super Wimpy Punch, the band have been busy working on their full length debut, and the wait is nearly over. Diving, the band’s new record is due out July 17th via their new label home at Pittsburgh’s Crafted Sounds (Spooled Up, The Zells, Bat Zuppel). The album, which while optimistic, deals with both anxiety and self-improvement, is based around the urgent attention that is needed in regards to the environment and the role of humans in it.
Lead single “Heartbeat” addresses these issues head on, with a slowly evolving fuzz pop backbone, that’s as sweet as it is imperative. Buddie open with a concern about oil depletion, singing, “oil seeps at the seams, they see it dripping, they know it’s sure to run out” before moving onto concerns of overuse, mounting carbon levels, and the unfortunate lack of concern at the highest levels needed to impact real change. It’s all strewn together in a bright and wavering shimmer, the production is radiant, each guitar chord and breezy melodic turn are accentuated with a clear sense of force, like a DIY basement rock version of School House Rock for the next generation.