Worse. – Inner Child

Some bands and artists out there are pulling major PR, with big Bandcamp features written about them, and a direct line to the college radio charts and tastemakers. And we don’t begrudge them that, it takes a village to support an artist of quality. And then there’s an artist like Dani Gentry, the creator of the Salem (or Portland, there’s conflicting data there), Oregon “emogaze” imprint known as worse. (that’s worse. with a period at the end). We’ve been following the sound since we caught up with the work on 2021’s “Delay Problems“. So by no means were we there at the beginning, we can take no credit. But we’d become captivated by the dusty dream pop on offer, and looked forward to more upcoming.

Fast forward to …well, yesterday, and worse. has unlocked a full album, not just a single or EP. And Inner Child is a fulfillment of so much early promise. Crunchy chords and fragile but fully fleshed-out choruses, sparkle and churn, all of it is deftly mastered by Gentry in this effort. It’s just not easy to pull off epic and intimate at the same time, but a well-executed worse. tune can take private pain or doubt and make it instantly universal by wrapping them in a proper choral arrangement. Flourishes of flawless country guitar twang (see: “The Greatest” for example) put some of today’s “countrygaze” dilettantes to shame: properly placed, not affected, properly serving and supporting the finished composition.

There’s a lot to love here, from beginning to end, and we’d do a track-by-track exposition, but it’s so completely unnecessary. If you’re a fan of this genre of music, you will get it. Drop (virtual) needle most anywhere, you’ll find yourself drawn in, whether by sonic texture and colour, or by instantly imprinted lyrical flourishes (“Do you still dance when the credits roll?” is a standout). It’s almost a crime that lyrics are only provided for one song on the album. But, if nothing else, it’s simply a demand you dig deeper into this impressive masterwork, allowing for additional layers to be revealed.

Favorite tracks? That’s another problem: what here isn’t exceptional? Save for the final track, which almost serves as comic relief, a mood lightener after a heavy personal performance, there’s just nothing to skip here. Every track carves out a sonic channel, opens an emotional vein: loss, regret, hope, wistful nostalgia; all of it wrapped in a flawlessly produced and arranged package, topped with a bow. “Zoloft” has a spectacular guitar foundation, complete with sparing use of tremolo, perfectly serving the song. “Internet Voice” is almost an interior monologue, accidentally left like an open diary. “Drain, OR” breaks out the fuzz on first guitar, immediately balanced by a second guitar set on sparkle, and the opening statement, “Cry for me…”. Masterful.

One of the first truly crucial LP releases of 2023, and a candidate for album of the year. Sure, that’s a lofty pronouncement, but we probably wouldn’t have used up all our superlatives writing about it if it wasn’t something truly special.

Find and support worse. on Bandcamp. Follow worse. on Facebook, even though it appears abandoned. No matter. Inner Child is a work to be celebrated. Expect to hear a great deal of it on our air, all the more so through the end of the year. Our highest recommendation.