The greatest part of being in a band is sharing the experience. Sure, making music is incredibly rewarding but creating projects, performing gigs, and witnessing the highs and lows of the industry with your bandmates by your side is unrivalled. As with all friendships, there will be tensions along the way but there is no greater connection than of that within a band. On their new single, YONDER honestly sketch their life as a band onto a narrative exploring our closets friendships and the lasting connections which emerge from that.
Guess is a song that opens up the band to their audience. It feels candid, generous, and therapeutic in a way. Driven by a longing to champion the talents of their drummer, officially inducting their newest member into the band, all resulting in a groove that allowed the group to completely unleash, the track is a sweltering tribute to friendship and all its intricacies.
On their latest single, YONDER invite us to join the band. Guess is arguably the group’s most honest work yet; championing the hooks, nuances, and energy that fans have come to know and love.
YONDER have certainly kept themselves busy over the last few months. Between countless live-streamed gigs, the introduction of bassist Rowan Baldwin into the group, and some fruitful recording sessions with producer Jared Aldam, the band have managed to whip up their most ambitious project yet.
“This was one of our most enjoyable recording experiences as a band,” the boys explain about Guess. “We felt tight, the groove was natural, our eyes were closed, our bodies were moving, Lochie’s hips were swaying, Jayden was playing louder, Brendo was pulling crazier faces, Jared had many innovative ideas and there were solid laughs. These are all attributes that help produce a great song.”
Sonically, Guess is an addictive, rhythm-driven hit that subtly balances theatrics with the earthy undertones of rock. It’s certainly a new avenue for the band, but one that feels as familiar as the single’s subject matter. Patience, loyalty, and love are the concepts that drive Guess. The single is your most meaningful friendships cast into sonic and carefully unfurled over four minutes of rock bliss. Yet, as introspective as the band’s lyrics appear, the track approaches every beat with a consideration for the audience.
“We spent a majority of the time working on the drum tone in wanting to achieve a live experience where our audience could better immerse themselves and imagine being in the recording room with us,” YONDER explains.
“A call and response section in the bridge/ instrumental was tricky to navigate. We didn’t want to leave too much open space, particularly on the record where the crowd isn’t present. We utilized all the boys’ voices and layered harmonies – creating large gang vocals. We feel this became the climactic section of the song that we hope to engage our audiences with. We look forward to singing along with fans upon the release of Guess.”
There’s no denying that Guess is a song destined for the stage, yet it cuts just as deeply played from the safety of home. Universal meanings, heart-melting riffs, and irresistible honesty, YONDER are ones to certainly keep on your radar.
Check out Guess below:
