Premiere: Exploring The Sunk Cost Fallacy on Fellow Hollow’s “Dog Fence Weeds”

Piano and synths clash beautifully on Fellow Hollow’s “Dog Fence Weeds,” a song whose majesty lies within its theme of starting anew, despite how terrifying it might be.

Stream: “Dog Fence Weeds” – Fellow Hollow

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What does one stand to gain by starting over? The very idea this question poses is one that can easily instill fear into many, the notion of starting over, a clean slate. This fear often paralyzes many into a cyclical life, even if it goes against one’s best interest. Safe for the most part, but ultimately unrewarding. To face this point in life, to ask that question, will mark a pivotal point in life’s journey, a moment in which Fellow Hollow immortalizes in their latest single “Dog Fence Weeds,” and Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering it today!

Luke Elliot Fleeman and Andrew Gavin Williams are a duo whose artistry should not be understated. Over the past few years, they’ve released dream-laced soundscapes that showcase their talents of creating worlds in which listeners can lose themselves to, something “Dog Fence Weeds” excels at. The piano and synth combination results in pure intoxication, a song that carries intense emotion and warmth. Exploring the unknown is no easy task, but Fellow Hollow does so with grit, and the outcome is unfettered bliss.

“The thought of reconsidering things is daunting when weighed against the stack of the time already put in. It is hard to change course when our feet are dug in and there are social strings attached,” explains the duo on the track’s message, a sentiment captured with sincerity and beauty. The track’s beginnings are laced with sublime instrumentation that sets the stage for a story – an exploration – that one would be hard-pressed to not want to dive fully into. The dulcet vocals from Williams coalesce with a celestial-like quality; an alluring joining of worlds that strikes awe into those listening.

On the song’s creation, the duo explains to Atwood Magazine that “this one is built around an arpeggiating piano plus synth progression. During the first chorus, a combination of software drums and live drums come in. Sonically, the entire song is made up of acoustic and electronic instruments in pairs playing the same parts which give it the sonic effect of an in-between place, pseudo-natural. Thematically, it’s a transitional/traveling song and the production aimed to mirror that in limbo feeling.”

As the song progresses, listeners are further cast into the ambrosia that they have created, eliciting feelings of weightlessness as the melodies waft around the ears, carrying the listeners with a light touch into the dreamscape that lay before them. As the story reaches its end, the sudden onrushes of instrumentation begin to soften, leaving a spotlight on the vocals, forming an ethereal conclusion that puts a tender end to the dream. This story, however, wouldn’t be whole without its accompanying visuals.

“Dog Fence Weeds” -Fellow Hollow

The music video for the track is, in its own way, a dream. Snapshots of life drift by, examining the elements that make up this journey in an almost whimsical manner. These two forces, the auditory and visual, are charming pieces by themselves, but when pieced together – enthralling. They both elevate one another, making for an experience that will captivate listeners through each note hit.

“Dog Fence Weeds” is one of 2020’s most enchanting singles and serves as an example of Fellow Hollow’s penchant for craftsmanship and immeasurable talent. The musicality the duo possesses is on full display, and the themes delved into carry a sense of community to them – the dispiriting attachments that a supposed “new normal” can bring with it and yet ultimately must be faced. These moments in life are ones many can ascribe to, and Fellow Hollow explores them with grace. “Dog Fence Weeds” has added a much-needed warmth into the year, leaving us excited for what’s to come.