Reflect on life's enduring questions with wellthen's The demo EP

Raw emotion in music is easy. Raw emotion done truthfully in music is hard. Wellthen (often stylized in lowercase) have cracked the code with their new lineup: the former quartet has gone duet with the latest release, The demo EP.

It kicks off with "this time", a track that paints persistence against the backdrop of life's relentless challenges. The lyrics, "This time, I don't think that I'm over it, This time, I don't want to get over it," declare they're holding on, despite the odds.

Following it is "the way it goes," a reflective piece on the inevitability of life's changes and the acceptance of the uncontrollable. Opening with the click of drumsticks, you feel like you're in the recording room with them—every beat and soft-spoken lyric a shared secret.

"Sides" brings a darker tone to the EP, exploring the conflict and division inherent in decision-making. Whereas the warm, ethereal tones of "house of gold" contrast with the sharp lyrical contemplation on material success versus emotional fulfillment. Listening to the whole EP, these two feel almost like two sides to the coin, exploring internal and external pressures on our choices.

"most days" closes the EP with an emotional bang. It's a vulnerable confession of the often unnoticed daily efforts to keep going, despite occasional despair.

The demo EP is just a taste of what's to come with wellthen's new duet of wellthen. But it's a fantastic start to a new era for the band and one filled with all the promise.

Stream The demo EP below.

Ben McCoy

Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he's not writing for his supper, he's eating it at some of NYC's most interesting restaurants.

The demo
EP
wellthen
Released May 12, 2024