We were drawn to Control, the latest single from Heavy Lifter, the Oakland outfit described as “queer post-bubblegum slut grunge,” and I would go further to say Backyard tops it. Released today, the track opens with a haunting guitar hook that evokes Metallica’s Fade To Black. As Ren Forest’s pale, moonlit voice rises, you hear echoes of current indie favorites—Forth Wanderers and Feeble Little Horse—alongside a bouquet of 1990s touchstones spanning emo to shoegaze. The record carries a basement-show roughness, yet its finale feels like a dive-bomb ripping through the sky. Listen below.
Clara Weiss
I write about music as a cultural signal, following the artists, scenes, releases, and movements that shape how people listen today. My work focuses on discovery, context, and the stories behind the sounds that travel beyond borders.