Balance and Composure
After five long years, Balance and Composure return with Too Quick To Forgive––newly signed to Grammy-nominated producer Will Yip’s label, Memory Music, the alt-rock darlings sound more assured and adventurous than ever across two vulnerable tracks out today.
They’ll celebrate the release with their first shows since 2019 including a hometown Philly show at Union Transfer on June 16, Los Angeles’ The Novo on June 23 and NY’s Knockdown Center on July 8.
Too Quick To Forgive is a reflection on personal perseverance in the wake of confrontation, told through two distinctly different scenarios. “Savior Mode” finds frontman Jon Simmons baring his soul in a way that is unparalleled in their discography. The vocalist and guitarist once admitted that the criticism of his lyrical ambiguity was a soft spot, but here, his words have never resonated so immediately. A crystal-clear depiction of pre-grief––especially when dealing with someone who has caused you pain––Simmons sacrifices his feelings in order to keep them happy in their final days; “at that stage, it seems pointless,” he explains.
If “Savior Mode” is the melancholy yin,
then “Last To Know” is its pissed-off yang.
“It’s the feeling of being the last one in on an elaborate cruel prank being played on you,” Simmons says. It begins with a haunting melody that builds a sense of anticipation before exploding with distorted guitars and a driving bassline that add urgency to its already poignant lyrics.
“Some people can use you up for what they need and then abandon you when they feel fulfilled,” he continues. “With this song, I just wanted to say my piece.” It’s an emotionally-resonant highlight from the band, with a touch of angst and a soaring crescendo chorus that leaves a lasting impact well after its final notes play out.
Simmons' vulnerability and emotional delivery across both tracks cut through with unflinching precision courtesy of Andy Slaymaker (guitar), Matt Warner (bass), Erik Petersen (lead guitar), Dennis Wilson (drums), and who the band considers their 6th member––producer Will Yip. In the fall of 2022, the group got together at his Conshohocken, PA studio, Studio 4, with a few ideas that Yip helped turn into these otherworldly tracks. “It was all magic,” Jon says.
Prior to that, the members had spent years apart, working on their own projects––Simmons’ fuzz-folk project Creeks quickly became a new creative outlet for him—before meeting up again in October 2021. They had no goal in mind other than to be in a room, writing and playing together, and their chemistry was better than ever. Each member contributed ideas from their own concoction of influences, and one session led to another. For a group of artists whose lives had become tour, record, tour, record for so long, having no pressure from a label to put something out and ‘stay relevant’ made the creative process feel organic and fun again.
