Grayling - “Cursed”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 2

Pairs Well With…Hop Along, Speedy Ortiz, Swearin’

A sound that leans into shoegaze and classic alt-rock heaviness, raw Philadelphian punk band Grayling are relatively understated across their 2019 EP Low. “Cursed”, the catchiest of the bunch, has threads of breezy power pop, but delivered with fuzzed-out, garage energy, countered by the more emotionally dramatic “Roses” or the mostly lonely and minimal “Blue”. Grayling’s positioning of sad, singer-songwriter material, sunny hooks, and full, loose rock and roll is unique and well-formed, not moving back and forth between sounds but rather melding them into a fresh and cohesive sound. (Kevin McStravick)