Superdestroyer – I Hate What You've Done With The Place | Single Premiere

How would you describe being unwanted? It’s a complex emotion to articulate, often more of an unspoken feeling than anything explicitly said. Sure, sometimes tension inevitably mounts up and things boil over into a fight, but what about those slow-simmering feelings? You know the ones I’m talking about; the co-worker who never has too much to say to you, the friend that you talk to less and less with each passing year, the person you have a crush on and can’t tell if it’s mutual or if you’re just bugging them. 

Sometimes the feeling of being unwanted can be exasperated by our own anxieties, but other times they’re founded, and it’s just a matter of time until they’re out in the open. And which is worse in that scenario? Knowing that your worry was correct, or the hurt of it actually being true? This creeping uncertainty is the feeling that lies at the heart of “I Hate What You’ve Done With The Place,” the newest single from anonymous one-man solo project Superdestroyer. This song comes hot on the heels of last year’s Such Joy (a lovely little experimental emo joint that I wrote about here) and feels like a logical continuation of the awesomely unique sounds that Superdestroyer was crafting throughout their last release. 

The song begins with an oceanic one-second whir that soon becomes eclipsed by a solitary looped guitar lick. Remorseful vocals quickly fill up the remaining space, fleshing out these feelings of singled-out awkwardness. 

I see the look that you give to me
It’s like I’ve got something written across my face
I can’t pretend I like the way that it’s been
And just to be frank, I hate what you’ve done with the place. 

Soon after deploying the song’s titular line, a single low bassline rattles out underneath a second even more distorted guitar. These two additions act as harbingers for the rest of the instruments, forecasting the additional layer of bass, drums, and guitar to come, all of which emanate from the same singular source of Superdestroyer. 

As the remainder of the lyrics flesh out feelings of contempt for being trapped in this situation, the band launches into a snappy emo sway that guides the track forward. The resolution here is how most of these situations end, with the feelings being unveiled as mutual. “I don’t want to be here either,” our narrator reveals as the song gradually pairs back down to its original elements. The bass and drums fade as a soulful guitar solo plays out. Soon all that’s left is the same looped guitar riff that has acted as the song’s grounding force throughout. Eventually, this guitar too fades away, leaving us alone as these emotions wash out into the silent darkness. 

It’s only two minutes, but “I Hate What You’ve Done With The Place” perfectly captures the looming awkwardness that can arise from human interactions. It’s not like one person on either side of these interactions is “evil,” it’s just that the pairing itself is bad. This song captures the often-inarticulable feeling of finding out your worst anxieties are true. It also acts as an abridged journey that both parties often must go through in order to come to terms with that fact independently. The disdain is mutual.

Within the world of the song, this is portrayed as ill-fated roommates. Most of us have been there; awkward kitchen interactions, weird biting remarks that get under your skin, little things that rub you the wrong way and eventually build up into something more substantial. The interesting thing is how malleable this idea proves to be. There are an infinite number of situations where our brains can trick ourselves into feeling unwanted, some of which may be true, but most of the time is just our own head being mean. 

Sometimes this buildup of the unwanted is inevitable; other times, it’s a weird standoff of trying to figure out if the other person or group of people feel the same way as you. Is this a real feeling that I’m picking up, or is it all in my head? That’s always the question, isn’t it? 

“I Hate What You've Done With The Place” releases on all streaming services on 2/16, and Superdestroyer's upcoming LP In Your Loneliness, Your Holiness will be out on 2/25 on Lonely Ghost Records.

The Best of October 2021: Part 1

October brought us so much good music that I had to split our usual monthly roundup into two parts. Read on for shoegaze riffs, muscle-pumping hardcore, and one of the most stunning emo albums of all time. Click here to read The Best of October 2021: Part 2.

Hovvdy - True Love

At this point, you probably know exactly what to expect from a Hovvdy album; pleasant back-porch guitar licks, laid-back drumming, and just the slightest hint of twang. Last year I wrote about how much Heavy Lifter grew on me over the course of 2020, culminating in the album becoming a near-daily habit that coincided with the peak of fall. It feels like a cosmic coincidence that Hovvdy would drop their follow-up right as the leaves start to change and the wind regains its crisp bite. While it has yet to grow on me quite the same way that Heavy Lifter did, True Love is possibly the most accessible, catchy, and pleasant batch of Hovvdy songs to date. Whether it’s the soaring adoration of its title track, the familial connection of “Hope,” or the childlike innocence depicted on “Junior Day League,” the duo explore a wide range of folksy fall-flavored tunes throughout the album’s 40-minute runtime. 

Roseville - something about a fig tree

The Flower Bed

Much like their fellow Coloradans in Gleemer, Roseville are creating fuzzy, blissed-out dream pop songs that tackle less-than-blissful feelings. From the blurry album art to the mostly one- and two-syllable song titles, everything about fig tree screams shoegaze classic. The EP opens with a bright sway on “Safer” and winds its way from seasonally appropriate tales on “Halloween Song” to hypnotic riffage on “Out.” It may only be a bite-sized collection of five songs, but the sound on this EP is nothing short of colossal. Like all the greatest albums of the shoegaze genre, something about a fig tree is a release you can throw on and sink into like a bed of leaves or a slightly-too-big bean bag chair. 

The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die - Illusory Walls

Epitaph Records

An 80-minute post-emo, post-hardcore, post-rock album about the social, moral, and ideological rot of late-stage capitalism? AND it’s all passed through a conceptual Dark Souls filter? I am in. There’s simply no amount of hyperbole I could pack into this introduction that would do Illusory Walls justice, so I’ll just say that this was one of the most impactful first listens I’ve had with an album in years. The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die are perhaps best known for being forebears of the 2010s Emo Revival. Famous for their long name and even longer list of band members, everything about Illusory Walls seems counter to their previous work. It’s a darker, fiercer, and more focused album that was conceived amongst the group’s (now core) five members. 

While the singles range from a mixture of The Anniversary and Broken Social Scene on “Queen Sophie For President” and heavy metal riffage on “Invading the World of the Guilty as a Spirit of Vengeance,” the group rounds out distant corners of their world on songs like “We Saw Birds Through the Hole in the Ceiling” and “Your Brain is a Rubbermaid.” The cherry on top of this album comes with the one-two punch of its closing tracks. Both the 16-minute “Infinite Josh” and the 20-minute “Fewer Afraid” are absolutely jaw-dropping tracks that are guaranteed to inflict goosebumps upon any listeners who might take them in with an open heart. While “Infinite Josh” is built around a post-rock build and steadfast bassline, “Fewer Afraid” is a career highlight manifesto complete with a spoken-word passage and philosophical sentiments. The latter of these two songs evoked an actual joy-filled scream from me upon first listen when the band broke out into an interpolation of my favorite song of theirs from nearly a decade earlier. 

Over the course of this album’s final 36 minutes, the group touches on topics like death, the passage of time, religion, and the desire to make the world a better place. It’s inspiring, cosmically-affirming, and downright staggering. In one of the record’s most profound lines, friend of the band Sarah Cowell sings,

You cry at the news, I just turn it off
They say there's nothing we can do and it never stops
You believe in a god watching over
I think the world's fucked up and brutal
Senseless violence with no guiding light
I can't live like this, but I'm not ready to die

Even if you aren’t a fan of this band or emo as a whole, Illusory Walls is a boundless work that shatters nearly every preconceived notion one might have about the possibilities of this genre—an extraordinary feat of the medium.

Gollylagging - Aint That Just The Way!

Self-released

On the flip side of the emo behemoth that is Illusory Walls, we have Aint That Just The Way!, a scrappy 14-minute debut from the Boston-based quartet Gollylagging. Opening track “Capsizing” begins with a modest indie rock jangle but expertly piles up its own emotions until the entire piece erupts into post-hardcore riffage. The rest of the EP follows a similar format, combining hyper-proficient emo-inspired instrumentation with hardcore bellows and emotionally forthright lyrics. “Kangaroo” is expectedly bouncy, fun, and moshpit-inspiring while “Your Party” charges forward with a battering Dogleg-like momentum. Overall, a very energetic and promising release from a band that everyone should be watching. 

Knocked Loose - A Tear on the Fabric of Life

Pure Noise Records

There’s a reason Knocked Loose has become one of the most popular bands in hardcore, and with A Tear in the Fabric of Life, they offer a brief six-song reminder of why. In what may well be their heaviest release yet, the band distills and perfects their dynamics, alternating between atonal metallic passages and pummeling chuggy riffs. Similarly, lead singer Bryan Garris’ tormented piercing howl is punctuated by guitarist Isaac Hale’s punishing low growls at just the right times, resulting in a violent and raging excursion that jostles the listener from one spiteful sentiment to the next. 

Ship & Sail - True North

Self-released

I have been a fan and friend of Ship & Sail for as long as I’ve known Colin Haggerty. Even a cursory glance back through this blog reveals reviews, collaborations, and more stretching all the way back to his debut album in 2018. This is all to say I’ve thought a lot about it, and True North is far and away the best thing Ship & Sail has ever released. In keeping with tradition, Haggerty penned a long and heartfelt breakdown of the album we published on release day, which I strongly encourage you to go read. The record itself touches on familiar folky sentiments of past work but also stretches into exciting new territories. Album opener “The Plan” feels like a synthesis of all the best Ship & Sail songs released to date. Haggerty flexes his songwriting prowess with a stellar chorus on “Junkie Love” and grapples with mortality on “I Know A Way Around Heaven’s Gates.” Midway through the record, the title track centers around a beautiful duet between Colin and his late father that acts as a moving tribute and a beautiful song in its own right. The record culminates in “Lovely,” which shakes with a sort of Julien Baker confessionalism and is flat-out one of the most powerful songs I’ve heard all year. We should all be so lucky to have our lives memorialized in a collection of songs such as this. 

Mo Troper - Dilettante

Self-released

On Mo Troper’s Bandcamp page, the description for Dilettante begins with a definition. “Dilettante (n.): a person with an amateur interest in the arts; an album of postcard-length power pop songs. See also: Mo Troper IV.” This self-effacing introduction is actually the perfect pitch for Mo Troper’s vibrant and ever-shifting 28-song-long LP. Citing inspiration that ranges from Elliot Smith to At The Drive, this is truly an album without boundaries. Whether singing about coffee pairings, social media-induced capitalism, or decrepit action movie stars, every track is fueled by pure creativity. Most songs don’t even clear the two-minute mark, allowing for a massive collection of instantly-catchy hooks that Troper then throws over a vast swath of genres. As an album-length experience, Dilettante fits somewhere between the trifecta of Ween, Daniel Johnston, and Guided By Voices for a creative, catchy, and invigorating collection of power pop tunes. 

Superdestroyer - Such Joy

Lonely Ghost Records

Hmm, another album about the malaise of late-stage capitalism? Strikes happening across dozens of different industries? The most popular show in the world is a parable about the failures of capitalism? It’s almost like something over the last year or so has laid bare the indifference of the system in which we are forced to live… ah well, nevertheless. Such Joy, the fourth album from Superdestroyer, is a blistering 17-minute take-down of our world that openly grapples with the flaws of our endlessly greedy and increasingly imbalanced society. The release begins by wading the listener in with catchy emo chants and guitar tapping but eventually breaks out into hardcore shouts and spacy riffs. It almost feels as if the entire release is unwinding as you listen to it. Plus, each track is punctual, with most songs hovering around the 90-second mark and none stretching beyond three minutes. This makes each piece feel essential, even the instrumental trip-hop “Void” serves as a necessary pause to catch your breath before the final push. A genuinely creative and comforting collection of songs.

Quick Hits

If you’re looking for even more tunes from the past month (or so), we’ve published reviews of the new releases from Couplet, Church Girls, Sufjan Stevens, and Pictoria Vark. Alternatively, you can see my favorite songs from every album I listened to this month through this playlist. 

Quarantine Creative Check #1

Well folks, we’re about a week into a global pandemic and am feeling it. I’ve been living, writing, working, and eating in my 534 sq. ft. studio apartment for five straight days, and I’m beginning to get a little antsy. I’ve got enough food, alcohol, and toilet paper to last at least a month, but that doesn’t make self-isolating any easier. Luckily, I’m fortunate enough to have a job that allows me to work from home, and FaceTime has gone a long way in fulfilling my need for human interaction, but it’s still hard. 

This past week has been nothing but delayed tours, postponed release dates, and canceled shows. While that’s a bummer as a fan, it’s especially disheartening for musicians who rely on tickets, merch, and record sales for their livelihood. 

With that in mind, I asked my twitter followers if anyone wanted to chat. Less of an interview and more of a check-in, I sent the same questions out to a handful of talented musicians who reached out, and they all gave me an update on how they’re doing and what you can do to support them in these crazy times. 

This week we’ve all had to adapt to a new way of living and existing without direct human connection. Similarly, bands have had to adapt to a way of living without their primary source of income, and in some cases, stand to lose hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on scrapped tours. Please check out some of these bands, give them a stream, toss them a share, or check out their merch.

Without further adieu, I’m proud to present the first (and hopefully final) installment of Quarantine Creative Check: dispatches from artists all over the world.

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Superdestroyer

@Superdestroyed

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
So far the quarantine has been a bit surreal, which is probably true for a lot of people right now. There's a part of me that's uncomfortable with the uncertainty of things, but obviously protecting people who are vulnerable to the virus is most important so that kinda helps to frame it in a healthy way. I'm in Ohio, and they've moved quick, so it's been almost a week. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
It's been a weird adjustment but I'm sort of introverted so it's probably been a little easier for me than for people that are really social. The biggest challenges have been finding food and important supplies because of the initial panic. I also have really bad asthma so I've been trying not to think about what happens to me if I get sick. I read recently that this could be an on and off thing for up to 2 years so that was....hard to process. On a positive note, I have a lot more time so I'm trying to figure out some things I'd like to do while I'm stuck at home. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
Honestly, I've been able to finish up some stuff for mostly finished songs, but I kinda find myself distracted otherwise. I'm pretty worried about friends, family, and strangers alike who just lost their income. I helped some people get groceries and stuff like that. I think for now the focus is on helping people find some stability. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Honestly, don't donate anything to me, but if you do want to buy merch or something I'll donate the money to someone in need. Otherwise, I'm working on something that will roll out soon to help DIY artists with performance stuff. Please buy artists' music and merch if you can. I run Lonely Ghost Records and most of our artists could really use the help. A lot of their merch is linked to our website or you can just visit their social media pages, bandcamps, etc. If people can, they should definitely take some time to support musicians who live off of their income from touring and music because they've been hit hard. Pretty much anyone who listens to music will have a favorite artist who needs some support right now!

SESPOOL

@_sespool

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
This is my second full day of quarantine, but my fourth of more rigid social distancing. I’m doing well. I miss being able to go to the gym and float around freely but I have more time to focus on music and that’s pretty awesome. Living with my girlfriend also really helps, as I haven’t lost all human contact and have someone to drink coffee and clean with haha.

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
I had no plans to tour personally but it’s affected a lot of my friends and canceled/postponed 4 shows I had tickets to. Since I have a day job that pays the bills this sudden stop of work has allowed me more time to focus on the creative process, but it’s been so disorienting and weird for the last five or so days that my creativity has come in spurts. I’ve been working on a new project, the first single dropped last month, and I think this may delay the release of that album a bit. Even though it’s a great time to release streaming content, I have bigger plans for this record and I want it to drop when the timing is right. I have, however, thought about releasing some different types of singles or songs I otherwise wouldn’t release in light of this strange time.

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
It might sound weird but trying to take advantage of all this time and be focused despite having no idea what the future holds. I know we’ll be able to get through this but how long will it take? It’s not a situation we’ve ever encountered before and not being able to book shows or realistically plan for the release of an album is really weird - just have to keep pushing to make the best songs for when the moment arrives.

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Merch is an amazing way to support. I actually just put up a bundle today, and for as long as the post office is shipping I will be going there to ship stuff! My store can be found here.

Chanelle Kazadi

@ChanelleKazadi

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I’m holding up the best I can, it’s going on day 8 of isolation. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
The social distancing has impacted me in ways such as my shows being postponed, they talk about the corona has taken off social media so strongly. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
The challenging part about all this is not truly knowing when it ends and not knowing how much worse could it get but I try to stay positive at the same time. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
I have merch on my website, it would be very appreciated to donate that way and just support my brand.

Keep Flying

@KeepFlyingBand

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
Feeling pretty positive right now. Been getting some yard and housework down now that tour life has been canceled. We looking at day 4 now but have been productive with moving upcoming releases, tour dates, and more to adapt to this new unknown era!

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
The prediction is this is going to last until at least June. We are adjusting our summer plans to fall. Pushing the record release at least a month. But also pushing some things sooner! We may hop back in the studio now that we have time off from the road as well as make some music videos and other content to keep people happy at home. Mentally this is about to be the longest consecutive time I’ve been off the road and not around live music in 14 years. Crazy. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
That’s just it. This is the challenge. We have to stand up to it and just do our best. If we all just do our best we can look back in a year from now and be proud of what we did accomplish. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Yes, the Merch does help. I’ll be able to get my guys some money as most of us also lost our jobs and it’s gonna be tough. The other way would be promoting the band and brand on the internet to friends and the World Wide Web. We really win people over with our live show so now more than ever any help of sharing videos or tunes or content would be incredible!

Farseek

@Farseekx

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I’m doing well so far. My partner and I have been holed up for about a week now.

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
We were supposed to go on a quick four day run in April but that was canceled because of the outbreak. Once I found out I didn’t have to work, I immediately began recording a bunch of new songs. It’s nice having no pressure or other commitments to hold me back. I think I am going to get kind of stir crazy in another week but I have been trying to not overwork myself.

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
I’ve currently got creativity oozing out of me so I don’t think that this has negatively impacted my creative outlets yet.

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
The best way for folks to support Farseek would be to just tell other people to listen to our music. I’m not dying for money right now and I know other people need it more than I do.

New Pollution

@new_p0llution

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I just got back from college a couple of days ago, so I have been quarantined in my house for 4 days, but before that it was really crazy at college trying to stay clean. I have been chilling outside my house but the only place I have gone is to a soup kitchen to bring them some items. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
As far as impacting my musical plans, not much has been effected besides sending my new EP to labels. I figure that everyone is stressed about the virus so nobody will have time to care about the EP, which is totally warranted. I have a 5 track EP that I have recorded for a year just sitting around, and it sucks that as soon as I finished it this virus came about! Now it seems like people don’t want to think about music, and there is so much anxiety floating around that nobody wants music. Otherwise, I’m using this time to record more songs and explore a collaboration with somebody I know, which will be very much cross-genre. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
The most challenging part about being creative right now is time. I just got back from college and have many other things to do before I get to make music I like. I think another hard part of being creative is judging one’s own work. I have hundreds of finished demos just sitting on my laptop because I am too afraid to commit to releasing them. So I have been coming up with ideas to change existing ideas instead of constantly increasing that pile of demos. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
First, I think people should support their own needs first in this time and think about music second. However, if you have the time it would be great if you purchased our live record Live!? at Creative Corner, which will definitley knock you out of whatever gloom you may be feeling.

Fit The Bill

@Fitthebillband

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
We have been doing pretty good! Besides making a couple of quick trips to the store, and Miles working a little bit, we are on day 3 I think?

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
So we actually had studio time booked for this coming up weekend, but with everything happening those plans have changed a bit. But now we are just going to record everything we planned to record in-house, and send it out to be mixed 🤙🏼

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
Nothing really holding us back from being creative right now honestly. If anything that’s the thing we have been able to put more focus on.

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
We don’t really have any merch up right now and are in the process of getting new music online 😉 But the best way to support us right now is probably to keep track of our antics on social medias. We will be posting more updates on our Instagram story specifically!

Halogens

@HalogensNJ

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
George: I’ve been *mostly* isolated since last Thursday because of having to go to work, however, my job just started having me work 100% remotely today so I guess today is day 1 for real. I’m going a little stir crazy for sure. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
George: Basically all of our plans from March through May have either been cancelled or rescheduled; we haven’t heard about all of our scheduled shows yet but I’m assuming the same will happen with them. We’re supposed to go into the studio for LP during the first week of June and we’ve been saying for months that we need to stop picking up shows so we can really focus on writing, but we just kept picking up shows anyway so we could try out new songs live and play with bands that we like. So now we’re really being forced to 100% fully commit to strictly focusing on finishing writing our album before we go into the studio in June. Mental health-wise, I’m doing okay but basically anything I previously used for maintaining my sanity like seeing my friends, going to the gym, or hanging at my parent’s house to play with my dog is out the window for the foreseeable future. I live right by the beach so I’ve been taking breaks from being in the house to go for walks on the boardwalk since it’s pretty empty here when during the off-season, which has been definitely been good for giving myself a change of scenery when I start to feel cooped up. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
George: Definitely being able to meet up with the rest of the band in person to hash out new ideas which is usually the major stage of transitioning a song idea into a completed song. We just recorded some new demos a couple of weeks ago so luckily we’ve been focusing on mixing them and editing parts remotely so we can stay productive. We all really wanted to go rent a cabin so we could hunker down and write the rest of the album and we were all really excited to do that since we are getting pretty close to studio time. The cabin thing also has to be put on hold for now because some of my family members and the people I work with are immunocompromised, and I really want to make sure I don’t contribute in any way towards people getting sick. We’re pretty used to operating at a distance because of other obligations so I’m hopeful we’ll be able to continue writing at the pace we were hoping for while we’re separated for now. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Kyle / George: We really appreciate the question, but we would prefer to send our support to bands that have had tours cancelled and are feeling the financial effects more than we are. Bands like Top Nachos, Sweet Pill, Save Face, A Will Away, Stillhungry, Shakeout, Niiice, Holy Pinto, Hit Like A Girl, Have A Good Season, 2319, Makeshift, and Nonfiction all invested a lot of money into tours that didn’t even get a chance to start or were cancelled while they were halfway across the country. Even though most of our plans until June have been postponed, we are all still lucky enough to have our jobs and a lot of local artists can’t say the same. Please support them!