There’s nothing nostalgic about Wayside’s return—this can be a band that by no means forgot the best way to chew. With Past the Pale, the Minneapolis rock veterans show their alchemic chemistry hasn’t dulled of their years away; if something, the components has been refined into one thing much more potent.
Dripping in that alt-90s swagger—the sort that seeps into the synapses like a down-and-dirty aphrodisiac—Past the Pale pulls you below with primal rhythmic power. Draw back, and also you’re left with a stark meditation on life’s solely certainty: change. Most of the time, these shifts pull us deeper into despair, a reality relayed via smoky, velvety vocal traces that ooze indie rock and roll charisma.
Think about Velvet Revolver and The Black Keys getting into uncharted sonic territory, and also you’ll get an concept of what Wayside have delivered right here. They aren’t simply reviving the sound that landed them on the 2002 Vans Warped Tour—they’re letting the years since carve new depths into their songwriting. With their full-length LP, Nightfall to Daybreak, set to drop in April, it’s clear that their road-worn reflections have given them extra to say than ever.
Wayside’s resurgence isn’t about reliving the previous—it’s about proving they’ve nonetheless acquired the muscle to drag listeners into the undertow. And if Past the Pale is any indication, they’ve acquired loads extra the place that got here from.
Stream Past the Pale on Bandcamp now.
Assessment by Amelia Vandergast
