Houston-based indie rock band, The Forbearant, offer their take on mewithoutYou’s song “Wendy & Betsy” which leans into the moody post-rock vibes of the original, but with something a little grungier.
Where the original took a more subtle approach to the vocals, The Forbearant leans into the natural weight of the lyrics. Though there’s a clear verse-chorus structure in the musical composition, there are no lyrics that repeat as a motif. Instead, it chugs along in a dirge-like fashion, with lyrics that feel off-kilter, fantastical, prophetic, and even ancient despite mentions of a 3rd World War and its initial release date being in 2018.
Both bands gradually gather more electric charge as the music and lyrics swells beyond any kind of control. It feels large in its storytelling scale despite its opaque qualities. The song never fully reveals its intentions or inspirations – just a sense of impending doom approaching at a maddening pace.
In the end, The Forbearant stays inside the lines as it recaptures a similar energy to the original. Given how much the original stands out on its own, there isn’t much need for an extra twist. Instead of a reimagining, this feels more like a reverent ode to something that laid the groundwork for the band’s sound.
Both the original and The Forbearant’s version of “Wendy & Betty” are both available on major streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer. Find this and more great music on the Alchemical Records Multigenre Mixture playlist on Spotify.
Charlie Maybee is a dancer, musician, educator, and writer based in Charleston, South Carolina who currently teaches with the Dance Program at the College of Charleston. His primary work as an artist is with his performing collective, Polymath Performance Project, through which he makes interdisciplinary performance art that centers tap dance as the primary medium of expression and research. He also currently plays rhythm guitar for the Charleston-based punk band, Anergy, and releases music as a solo artist under the name Nox Eterna.
Subscribe to Alchemical Records today to support our efforts online and in print.
Join the Alchemical Records Street Team to promote these and other artists, live music, and music community organizations & events while receiving cool perks from artists throughout the region.
Allie Goertz is back with a brand new, mature, raw, and honest version of herself with “Peeled Back”: a tribute to Nine Inch Nails.
On June 21, D.C.-based pop-rock artist LJR released “You”, the fifth single from his forthcoming album “When the Sky Began to Fall”.
The D.C.-based band released their sophomore album, “The Renewal”, on June 30th.
Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
