by Wade Phillips (@wade_phi)
“Pay attention to me / I’ll pay attention to you”. Nicolle Swims repeats these lyrics on the closing track of Black Ends’ latest release Stay Evil. The self-described “gunk pop” project of the Seattle-based songwriter, Black Ends consists of Swims on guitar and vocals, Jonny Modes on drums, and Ben Swanson on bass. The trio have made waves in the PNW music community since the release of their EP Sellout in March 2019, and were set for appearances at Treefort 2020 and Timber! Outdoor Music Festival prior to the abrupt end of live music in March. Despite postponed festivals and cancelled tours, Black Ends are still back with 13+ minutes of their finest and “gunkiest” work yet via Stay Evil.
Centering compelling vocals from Swims within layers of warped guitars, it’s hard to classify the maximalist sound of Black Ends; this in part makes Swims’ own “gunk pop” description perhaps the perfect label. In the words of KEXP’s Martin Douglas, Black Ends are “always just on the right side of catchy, no matter how far they detour into weird or arty territory.” In the words of Sarah Pasillas from Seattle’s indie powerhouse Antonioni, the sound of Black Ends “is what a band sounds like when it's good but has something even more. A lot of bands wish they had that.”
That something-even-more sound made Black Ends quick fixtures in the Seattle DIY scene, and the four tracks on Stay Evil capture that energy, along with all the weirdness and depth in perfect balance. “Monday Mourning” and “Low” are some of Black Ends catchiest recordings to date, while “Live In the Sea” and the title track “Stay Evil” venture into more free-form, experimental territories. The transitions between sounds create a jarring but highly enjoyable listen, with high potential for repeat plays and lyrical exploration.
Speaking on the EP’s single “Monday Mourning” in an email exchange with KEXP, Nicolle Swims described the single as, “a pretty bleak song although it may not sound that way at first listen. It’s basically about the impending demise we all face and the getting ready for death.” With this song having been a staple in their live set for some time, Black Ends chose to dedicate the release of Stay Evil to the memory of George Floyd. Swims spoke more on the dedication in the KEXP premiere of “Monday Mourning,” an excerpt of which is included below:
“Being black in America feels like a death sentence but I refuse to stop fighting. These protests happening now are necessary for real change but something must be done differently -- history is just repeating itself because America has never changed. It’s always been corrupt and deadly. We must work to completely abolish the systems that are against us. Abolish prisons. Abolish police. Build society from the ground up and destroy white supremacy. This is lifelong work. It will not be easy work but it has to be possible. It has to be possible. It has to be. We need to believe it so that we can change it. We must work together to fight for real change and we must have hope."
I had the privilege to witness Swims perform a solo set outside of the Seattle Police Department’s East Precinct during a musical/educational sit-in on the first weekend of the Capitol Hill Organized Protest. That set was among the only live music I’ve seen in-person since statewide lockdowns began, and hearing “Monday Mourning” in that setting was both a privilege and a powerful experience. I’d urge readers to listen to Swims’ words; both listen and “pay attention”.