The Crate catalog is on track to expand considerably. The Brooklyn-based shoegaze group left a notable imprint with their 2024 debut single “Julia,” which earned placement on our list of that year’s standout shoegaze tracks. Yet the band paused for a full year before releasing their next single, “Necklace,” and then waited another year and a half before finally revealing plans for a first album. But the wait is nearly over, and today the Crate discography grows by one more track.
Crate’s self-titled debut is slated to arrive next week. It collects “Julia,” “Necklace,” and “Not My Song (Mine To Keep),” the single the band issued when they announced the LP. The record also includes “Crushed To Nothing,” the elegantly warped fuzz-pedal crusher that closes the album. In a press release, band member Ezra Engler remarks:
This piece is tricky because it threads together several themes. The central sentiment concerns deeply caring for someone who’s in a tough situation. You do everything possible to assist, but you recognize that, ultimately, the person must help themselves. I’ve stood on both sides of this coin—the helper and the one who needs help. This track feels the most personal to me. I tend to write lyrics quickly and somewhat haphazardly—just capturing what I’m feeling at the moment. Then I reread them and think, “Wait, I was actually addressing something meaningful.” The outro spoken-word section shifts toward reflecting on the past and imagining what could have been done differently. A hindsight vibe, for sure.
Listen below.
Crate is out 11/13 on Good English.
