Bringing a monumental seven-year hiatus to a close, ‘sugar splint’ marks our point of entry into Bleary’s dreamy, expansive aural universe. Part chaotic and part lush, the American group does a good job of distilling a series of shoegaze and indie influences into one cohesive package. ‘sugar splint’ is the perfect evidence of that. Introducing itself with alternative guitars and emo-leaning vocals, the track then shifts into indie sheen mode, yet carrying a constant melancholic undertone, eventually exploding into gritty alt-rock rowdiness.
It’s an aural roller-coaster, from a certain point of view, with Bleary continuously oscillating between melodic restraint and all-out euphoria. Such tension is crucial to the success of their artistic vision, a world-building effort filled with urgency and sombre trepidation. ‘sugar splint’ is part of a forthcoming album, ‘Little Brain’, arriving later this year.
As Bleary explain: “This song was one of a batch of songs crafted pre-COVID and shaped during live performances. Once that was no longer an option, we built a home studio and started experimenting with massive layers and big guitars. Once quarantine lifted, we recorded with Joshua Ditty and Mike Purcell in Nashville.”
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