A massive cavalcade of sound and fervor, Buddie’s debut EP ‘Change of Scenery’ is a refreshing dip in the deep end of raw DIY rock.
Stream: ‘Change of Scenery’ – Buddie
A massive cavalcade of sound and fervor, Buddie’s debut EP Change of Scenery is a refreshing dip in the deep end of raw DIY hard rock. Whether you’re on your own or in the company of friends, lounging in one place or on the go, Buddie’s music offers an engaging soundtrack full of energy for all of life’s moments.
Independently released January 11, 2019, Change of Scenery introduces Philadelphia four-piece Buddie with just the right amount of overdrive, drone, lyrical wit and cultural references. Consisting of principal songwriter Daniel Forrest, Brian Thomas (bass), Danielle Farley (guitar/vox), and David Dean (drums), Buddie pride themselves in making “fuzzy, poppy, punk rock songs about life as a young adult.”
In premiering Change of Scenery‘s second single “Sink” in December, Atwood Magazine praised Buddie’s music as having “a heavy hard rock edge, but a soft core at heart.”
The band’s songs are incredibly relatable for those of us with socially awkward pasts or presents, and those of us who are just trying to figure this “life” thing out day by day.
They’re like a young 1990s Weezer, just figuring things out and otherwise making it up as they go along — only in this case, it’s with an incredibly keen mind for lyrical vulnerability and fuzzy, jammy rock goodness.
How can I live with myself
Not helping anyone else?
With selflessness on my mind
But I stay wasting my time
I just can’t live like this no more
– “Sloth,” Buddie
Change of Scenery begins with “Sloth,” a slow-building self-deprecative reflection with the desire to be better, and do better. Much of Buddie’s music is built on observing the flaws we tend to ignore in ourselves (see closer “Privileged Youth” for the best example of this in action). Meanwhile, the aforementioned “Sink” provides a feelgood moment of raw rock that builds on themes of social anxiety, awkwardness, and acceptance — largely in that order. It’s a millennial underdog anthem – as funny as it is heartfelt.
With a grungy chord progression and an underlying aggressive punch, “Selva” is Buddie’s moment of pop/rock crossover gold. They do their best Nirvana impression while staying true to their sound — a testament, perhaps, to just how talented this group of musicians are, and how expressive they can be. “Selva” could be an underground hit if it wanted to be, so tell your hard rock aficianado friends about it and let’s start a movement.
“Anxty” is Buddie’s drone-heavy moment — the point on the record where energy builds to that cacophonic peak, and everything comes tumbling down. An feverish garage jam, the track pivots between softer moments of introspection and monstrous explosions of guitar. Danielle Farley’s guitar work shines particularly bright in this track; she wails an aching cry through the axe, elevating a poignant low moment to truly gorgeous heights.
Buddie’s debut EP concludes with the deftly-titled “Privileged Youth,” a chugging rock song that races to the finish at high speeds. Even at their most unhinged, Buddie are always in control – and they display as such with a mid-song change-up, bringing their run down to a jog and giving every instrument its moment in the sun.
We’re left with the distinct feeling that, given the time and resources, Buddie could be the next big American rock band. They care, and they’re not afraid to show it; they’re self-aware, and neither paranoid nor obsessed; and of course, they make some truly kick-ass songs. Buddie probably want to be your friend, so get yourself down to Philly and come out to a show! In the meantime, you can make the most of your time with their excellent first five songs.
Experience the full record below, and peek inside Buddie’s Change of Scenery EP with Atwood Magazine as Dan Forrest goes track-by-track through the music and lyrics of Buddie’s debut!
Stream: ‘Change of Scenery’ – Buddie
:: Inside Change of Scenery ::
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Sloth
This song came about after a period of introspection when I realized that every action (or lack thereof) I take has an impact on the people around me. I regularly thought about how I might mitigate these grand-scale, global problems (e.g. climate change) during my life, but I lost sight of local, socially-oriented issues and particularly the way my actions might affect my closest friends and family. I especially thought about gender roles, and how I unknowingly bought into them with my chosen division of labor with my partner, and tried to make a conscious effort to counteract that. The song is a reminder to myself: quit lazing around, spacing out, staring at my phone or any screen, and be active at home, at work, and in my community.
Sink
The song is about any awkward moment during social interactions, especially around new groups. I like to make jokes and be silly, but when I’m in a new group and those jokes fall flat, I feel like a dweeb. The video tried to recreate a particular night when I showed up to a friend of a friend’s house, sat around a fire, and it felt like every comment was misperceived.
Selva
I wrote this song when I was at a crossroads in my life and career. I was working for a non-profit in Equatorial Guinea focused on the conservation of biodiversity on Bioko Island, and near the end of my year-long contract with them, I was given the opportunity to stick around and potentially take on a new role with the program. It was an incredible, action-packed year, I studied awe-inspiring wildlife (look up Drill monkeys for a personal favorite), learned to speak fluent Spanish, and navigated complex personal and professional relationships, so this was not a decision I took lightly. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the program, and I miss the people, environment, wildlife, and food almost every day, but with only an acoustic guitar, a digital Tascam recorder, and nowhere to play, I missed playing music more. Selva, a Spanish word I used frequently to talk about our research and when teaching, is the personification of the forest.
Anxty
This is about my best friend going through a rough patch. It’s a love song about simultaneously supporting someone and allowing them to fight their own battles: trying to find humor in it, and being encouraging, but not demeaning.
Privileged Youth
This song is about acknowledging our place in the world, the fact that the circumstances we’re born into greatly impact our freedom, our aspirations, and needs on a daily and life-long basis. Born into a middle-class family in a town with a great public education system, with the ability to attend college and work in whichever industry I wanted, I have privileges that so many cannot afford. The verses mention a few things I struggled with over the course of about a week: getting locked out of my apartment on the way to work, borrowing a car to go to work since I didn’t have my keys, getting in a car accident, going to court over said accident. The chorus puts these small struggles into perspective. I had so many conversations over a short period of time with people of a similar socioeconomic background and age talking about work, bills, car problems, conflicts with landlords, and after a while I started to feel ridiculous talking about our daily struggles – especially in the current political climate. Let’s get over it already – we have the upper hand, we have safety nets, let’s do something more than complain about our minor hardships. I’m trying to hold myself accountable to this one.
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? © Andrew Silverman (Bigmouth Philly)
