LA-by-way-of-Chicago newcomers The Two Seasons dive into digital disassociation and jangly catharsis on their second single “Simulator,” a sardonic, shimmering burst of post-punk energy and unfiltered vulnerability.
Stream: “Simulator” – The Two Seasons
Sometimes I don’t know if my feels are real, or are they reel-to-reel?
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Jangly, raw, and riddled with existential bite, The Two Seasons’ second-ever single is as catchy as it is cathartic.
Clocking in at just under two and a half minutes, “Simulator” is a visceral post-punk outburst that blends sardonic wit with unfiltered vulnerability. Fueled by frontman Cory Clifford’s incisive lyricism and delivered with the unaffected, angular charm of The Strokes and the wry twang of Silver Jews, the track confronts depression, insecurity, and the blurred lines of emotional reality in the digital age.
Anguish feels like a formality
Might fight your mortality
Might find you lookin’
like hell for the hell of it
Here’s one to forgiveness
And one to self-forgiveness
Banish yourself in your ballroom
Dance like doom plays a part
Then rips out your insides
and rips them apart
Your shining dog star
No clearer
from the rearview mirror
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Simulator,” independently out now. Following the release of their striking debut single “Gallery” this past February, “Simulator” finds The Two Seasons continuing to introduce themselves with healthy amounts of tension and tongue-in-cheek tenacity. It’s a tightly wound, emotionally restless anthem that manages to feel both intimate and off-the-cuff — the kind of song that leaves a mark without overstaying its welcome.
Comprised of Cory Clifford (fka Cory José), guitarist Jeremy Nelson, drummer Greg Niemi, and bassist Alex Buchanan, The Two Seasons are a group of ex-Chicagoans now based in LA. Their jangly post-punk sound — equal parts Flying Nun shimmer and early-aughts swagger — echoes the ethos of Orange Juice, Parquet Courts, and The Feelies, while maintaining a lyrical edge all their own. Named after a classic Chicago punchline (“What are the two seasons in Chicago? Winter and construction”) – and with a subtle nod to Franki Valli and the Four Seasons baked in for good measure – the band balance humor and heaviness with surprising grace, carving out a sonic identity that feels both referential and refreshingly new.
Sometimes I don’t know
If my feels are real
Or are they reel-to-reel
Simulator
“‘Simulator’ is a song about dealing with depression, insecurity, and angst in modern times,” frontman Cory Clifford tells Atwood Magazine. “It’s a brief but powerful track waxing lyrical playfully like some of the band’s favorite artists outside of their genre such as Silver Jews and Elvis Costello.”
“The track’s song structure is akin to early R.E.M., opening with a double-verse and having the bridge be just as much of the hook as the post-chorus repeat of the track’s name. It was recorded in a garage by Harry Ernest Gibbons from the LA power pop band, Sano.”
Relinquish yourself from sin’s
Dim has-been named forgiven
I forgot that big shots
are one twist from a tailspin
Zoomin’ in on a thumbnail
Blurs out these gruff males
Sometimes I don’t know
If my feels are real
Or are they reel-to-reel
Simulator
That scrappy setup proves to be part of the song’s charm. “Simulator” thrives in its unvarnished immediacy, channeling rough indie rock textures into something sharp, sardonic, and unexpectedly affecting. There’s a smirk behind the gloom and a restless rhythm beneath the melancholy — a musical paradox that feels wholly of its time, yet timeless in its execution. With shoutouts to forgiveness, emotional disassociation, and reel-to-reel confusion, Clifford’s lyrics toe the line between sincerity and satire, capturing the emotional noise of modern life and spinning it into something strangely beautiful: A compact, cathartic burst of post-punk poetry, full of jagged guitars, hypnotic hooks, and hard-earned release.
With only two songs out in the world, The Two Seasons are already carving a distinct path for themselves – one paved with grit, humor, and a heavy dose of humanity.
“Simulator” may be short in runtime, but it leaves a long shadow: A sardonic anthem for the anxious age, brimming with lyrical depth and jangly disarray. If this is the kind of punch they’re packing early on, then their debut album can’t come soon enough. They may may joke about winter and construction, but make no mistake – this band is clearly building something meant to last, and “Simulator” is one hell of a foundation.
In the midst of all things pain…
Sometimes I don’t know
If my feels are real
Or are they reel-to-reel
Reel-to-reel
Reel-to-reel
Simulator
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:: stream/purchase Simulator here ::
:: connect with The Two Seasons here ::
Stream: “Simulator” – The Two Seasons
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© Olivia Alonso Gough
© Olivia Alonso Gough:: Stream The Two Seasons ::
