Bleary Eyed hail from Philly, a city that wears its underdog reputation as proudly as its packed DIY scene, becoming a magnet for up-and-coming rock bands in the last decade.
Like their peers in They Are Gutting A Body Of Water, they’ve expanded from frontman Nathaniel Salfi’s solo project into a full band, rounded out by Whit Lane, Cate Reynolds, and Hayden McGarvey. Part of what makes them so refreshing, in a time of shoegaze fatigue especially, is that they don’t rely on splintering reverb to ground their messages, despite drawing from an era defined by it. Rather, they do so through warm dual harmonies and computerized noise, spilling over on their latest album, Easy. As its name suggests, it’s an irresistible listen stuffed with songs about memories on loop (“Susan”), unpredictable futures (the title track), and holding tight to community (“Heaven Year”).
Read more: Wisp breaks down every song on If Not Winter
“The song is about going through changes in relationships but finding your highest self and remembering the importance of friends,” Salfi tells AP of the latter. The video by David Luna (Her New Knife, Halloween), premiering below, reflects that sentiment simply and effectively. Through a grainy lens, friends can be seen arguing, throwing punches, and walking away. Other times, they lift each other up, wandering the streets attached by yarn. “David wanted to capture the full spectrum of human emotion, showing friends in conflict but also hugging, making up, and friends being friends,” he adds.
Bleary Eyed are in the midst of their first headlining tour, which kicked off last night in Montreal. The run continues until early October, wrapping at Trans-Pecos in Queens. See the full tour routing and video for “Heaven Year” below.
