Taken off their upcoming debut album, Wide Orbit’s feel-good, rollicking “Buddy” is a jangly, heartfelt indie rock ode to friendship, feline love, and the beautiful mess of sticking by each other through it all – proving a spirited and sincere introduction to one of the freshest, most promising faces on Chicago’s DIY scene!
Stream: “Buddy” – Wide Orbit
There’s a special magic in the bonds that ask nothing of us – that exist in shared silences, dumb jokes, and the quiet comfort of being known.
Wide Orbit’s latest single feels like one of those bonds made song: Warm and unassuming, spirited and sincere, “Buddy” is a radiant ode to friendship, companionship, and devotion – to the people (and pets) who shape our lives simply by sticking around. It’s a sing-song celebration of togetherness wrapped in bright, Byrds-like guitars and slacker rock charm, delivered with the youthful energy of a band coming fully into their own.
My buddy, sweet friend
My buddy, sweet friend
He’ll be with me until the end…
A bond build upon
McDoubles and gun games
We’d waste weeks running races
and getting in shape
for the sake of killing a couple of hours
Thick as thieves until a carton of milk spills,
he says, “good luck getting that
smell out all by yourself,
you really don’t have the chops
to reach the other side”
He says “you’ll need to call a cab
’cause I’m not giving you a ride”
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Buddy,” the third single taken from Wide Orbit’s upcoming debut album Introducing… Wide Orbit, out this fall via indie label 22TWENTY (Oracle Sisters, Cornelia Murr).
Hailing from Chicago, Wide Orbit is a six-piece DIY rock band led by frontman and songwriter Ryan Tuohy. The group – comprised of Tuohy, Caleb Buie, Ethan Machamer, Matt Boguslawski, and Zach Jackson – tracked their debut album live in a room barely big enough to hold them. The result is a tight, magnetic, and loose-limbed sound that blends lo-fi ‘90s grit with classic ‘60s songcraft. Following their debut single “Full of Feathers” and its follow-up “What’s the Point?,” “Buddy” continues to showcase Wide Orbit’s knack for unfiltered charm and heartfelt songwriting – with a wink, a shrug, and a hell of a chorus.
“‘Buddy’ is the final track written for our album – it’s a heartfelt tribute to my cat Otis and the quiet moments that shape us,” Ryan Tuohy tells Atwood Magazine.
“With ‘Buddy’ announcing our debut album Introducing… Wide Orbit, the single is a glimpse into the record: Putting songwriting first and blending rich twelve-string textures with full-band harmonies.”
Dear god he’s so annoying
Good thing I know he’s
toying and not just rude
Self-centered
It’s not the response he wants
But he’ll keep on trying
like the steel airliner he is
Consistent
I’ll tell a joke on a whim
Forget I even spoke
Relocate my limbs
At four and a half minutes, “Buddy” is a jangly, feel-good, rollicking rollercoaster: It opens with a chorus so sweet it borders on lullaby – “My buddy, sweet friend / He’ll be with me until the end” – before tumbling into vivid, nostalgic verses full of McDoubles, video games, spilled milk, and snarky one-liners. The band’s chemistry radiates through their playing – a fluid back-and-forth of harmony and groove that captures the rhythm of longtime friendship.
And while their melodies are an instant hook, it’s the breakdown that really sets “Buddy” – and Wide Orbit – apart: A sudden shift in tone finds Tuohy baring his soul in a confessional unraveling. “I’m sorry, I’m a shithead / I’m worried you’ll leave,” he sings, as the song breathes out and stretches wide, making space for vulnerability, anger, forgiveness, and love.
This is Wide Orbit’s secret sauce: They’re not afraid to slow down or speed up, to stretch the bounds of a song, to get silly or serious – and often, they’re both at once. “Buddy” is a song about a cat, sure, but it’s also about the people who hold us steady when we feel like a mess. It’s about knowing someone well enough to fight and still stick around. It’s about loyalty, softness, and shared history – and how, sometimes, just having someone say “you were right all along” can feel like the deepest kind of love.
Self-described as “a Midwest cough drop for the sore soul,” Wide Orbit are making a strong case for themselves as one of indie rock’s most endearing new voices.
Having introduced themselves to the world just six months ago, the future is exceptionally bright for Wide Orbit. Their debut album Introducing… Wide Orbit releases this fall via 22TWENTY, and if “Buddy” is any indication, it promises a record full of honesty, harmony, and heart. Let this song hold you like a friend who never left your side.
Stream the Chicago band’s latest single exclusively on Atwood Magazine!
I’m sorry, I’m a shithead
I’m worried you’ll leave
I’m angry
You’re so wrong
I’m sorry
You were right all along…
Cause you’re my buddy
Sweet friend
My buddy, sweet friend
He’ll be with me until the end…
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:: stream/purchase Buddy here ::
:: connect with Wide Orbit here ::
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Stream: “Buddy” – Wide Orbit
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© Ben Isaacs
© Ben Isaacs:: Stream Wide Orbit ::
