The Upsides – “Pretending It Fades”
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NYC four-piece The Upsides return to the blog with the atmospheric and lush indie rock track “Pretending It Fades.”
“Pretending It Fades” is a song that is hard to pin down, maybe because the quality of mainstream ready guitar music over the past 15 years has been rather low? It’s difficult for me to reach back to earlier comparisons of what this song and band sound like, which isn’t a bad thing. These guys are doing something that I’ve missed for a very long time and which the world desperately needs. So, comparisons that may not do them justice are likely in this review.
There is undeniably a strain of the nostalgic songwriting of U2, however, which I have compared The Upsides to in the past. They have the same ability to make gigantic music about intimacy. Everything they touch seems to be mature, cigarette-light anthems filled with melody. That’s where the comparisons to U2 mostly come to an end; however, there is also the sleek sophistication of fellow New York band Interpol coming through in the vocal delivery.
The song is built on classic layers for indie rock, stripping the song back to its bare essentials, yet battering you with subtle hooks that just keep you keep coming back for more. Understated, muted, staccato rhythm guitar pulses, the chiming lead guitar with lingering delay, and that 1980s-styled reverb, which does make me think of The Edge. Gentle Eno-esque ambient pads and a warm bass are also present. The flashiest element is probably the drums, which give staggering, bouncing tom grooves throughout. The result is a track that you can tell the band have spent quite a while working through until they have something that is polished and ready for mass consumption.
The vocal is understated, living within the music and inhabiting every corner of it. It is a vocal that seems to be acting as an instrument itself, supporting the track as a whole, giving it what it needs, telling the story, reflecting and ruminating over past regrets. But yes, it does also deliver the sweeping choruses, making the track land as something that is radio-friendly as well. Again, every element serves its purpose and is perfectly placed.
“Pretending It Fades” is a potent dose of bittersweet, evocative and soaring indie rock. Once again, The Upsides have hit a home run. Their forthcoming album In The Maze is slated for release October 16th via Dream Wolf Records.
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