“I’m so tired of the same old shit that I’ve been doing” is a thought that, at one point or another, has probably run through your head lately. Under vastly different circumstances, that same phrase was running through Grocer’s heads when they wrote “Overblown,” the latest single off their upcoming debut LP Little Splash — it's both the refrain and emotional focal point of the track. It can be difficult to remember the acute pain and frustration of day-to-day stagnation in a time that has made most numb to it, but “Overblown” will make you feel that pain viscerally. It’s a sharp and emotionally affected track, and despite its subject matter, it’s anything but stagnant.
Perhaps Grocer’s greatest achievement with “Overblown” is the absolute perfection with which they balance genres. “Overblown” is a punk song through and through, but it’s packed with borrowed elements from other genres, each included with just enough measure to keep them from boiling over. Dial up the drums and icy harmonic chords just a bit and you’ve got a haunting, gothic post-punk track; turn up the bass and synths and this could easily be something to dance to. Remarkably, “Overblown” is an excellent pop song in its own right, and after a few listens through it’s catchy, bombastic refrain you’ll realize the true genius of the game of dress-up Grocer is playing.
Little Splash is out on May 28, and “Overblown” is a tantalizing taste of what’s to come. Listen below on Soundcloud:
