Buddie from Philadelphia play laid-back indie rock with a dollop of fuzz on top. The band’s debut LP Diving came out last month on Philly-based label Crafted Sounds. In Diving, Buddie propel their previously established guitar-driven sound forward with the addition of new folk and fuzzy pop influences. The album was written collaboratively between the four band members (dare I say, band buddies?) – pulling together a rounded view of their own personal and vicarious experiences. Thematically, Diving covers topics ranging from social anxiety, to maintaining morality, to environmentalism. The first few tracks relate to the changing state of the planet: “Boiler” indiscreetly discusses rising temperatures and “Heartbeat” searches for hope/revive;
"Almost drowned // We’re searching for a heartbeat now"
“In Aquamarine” is the notion of finally diving in and facing the world headfirst. In “Vines”, Buddie offer the realization that strength can actually be a derivative of these dark thoughts;
"But dark thoughts in your mind, Are vines that hold you down to the ground // When they tighten, you’ll break from the vines"
Buddie acknowledge that humans all depend on each other, and the following tracks “Circles,” “Tell Me Why,” and “Seeker” revolve around healing. The album’s closer “Garden Grow” (my personal favorite) leaves Diving with a strong finishing message – the problem needs to be addressed and can’t just be wished away.
The album holds generally optimistic perspectives, but is uncompromising in its urgent attention to the environment and the role of humans in it. At a concise eight tracks, Diving gives us the dose of positivity we can all benefit from right now, with a familiar yet gripping musical backdrop that “statement” music deserves.
All proceeds from Diving are going to Urban Creators, a Philadelphia-based community of collaborators in social and environmental justice. Learn more about the work of Urban Creators and stream the rest of Buddie’s full album release show below:
