better living crush

better living started as a two piece composed of vocalist/guitarist Gavin Siebrass and drummer Greg Klepczyk. Under this lineup they recorded the EP Lemons three years ago. But times have changed, and their debut LP crush features the current lineup that is rounded out by guitarist Sam Gaylert and Jorge B-R on bass.

On this record, the band weds their influences of grunge, hardcore and pop-punk. It’s energetic from start to finish. Two recent singles chosen from the album are “stupid song,” a musically-upbeat number that proves to be a pretty good bop, and “untitled,” a tonally darker, harder song leaning heavily on the bass. It’s a smart choice of the band to showcase the varying moods on crush. 

The noisier songs like “hellgodbabydamnno” are the strength on the album, while the catchiest song on here is the humorous yet depressing “danny devito.” There’s a vibe on this album that reminds me a lot of the punk bands I grew up with 20 some years ago, which I promise is a compliment. Fun local bands you can catch live and also put on your skate mix are important to the musical ecosystem. 

Better Living (photo by Leah Bouchier-Hayes)

crush was mixed by Siebrass and mastered by Matt Goings; the production is fairly drum-forward, not necessarily a bad thing as the percussion does drive the songs forward well. Still, I’d like to hear the guitar lines better, as they’re pretty fun. “cold comfort” does a good job of bringing the distorted wail of the guitars forward, with some quiet-loud dynamics that make it a highlight.

better living can be found on Instagram and Soundcloud; crush was self released and is available now on all major streamers.