Charleston emo band Never Better released their debut EP Heavy Heart last week, striking a chord of emotional intensity and anger that feels right at this moment.
The four track album, available now on Spotify, is a smattering of grunge, alt, and punk rock, with each track delivering a jarringly passionate experience, both musically and lyrically.
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“Each of these songs embodies a deep feeling of regret and personal discontent tied to a specific moment in my life,” says songwriter and frontman DJ Edwards. He uses adversity as a tool in his music. “Turning these dark moments into songs is both a coping mechanism for me and a way to relate to my peers,” he notes.
“Oil,” the second song on the EP, employs an explosive build while still grounding itself to the classic grunge rock arrangement of the guitar and drums. “On one level, that song is about the time I let my car run out of oil on the Ravenel Bridge during rush hour on a Friday,” Edwards recalls. “On a deeper level it was even worse, because my dad has been a mechanic for decades. I had failed at the most basic maintenance task, and ruined an entire vehicle with my negligence. I had let down my father.”
Heavy Heart dwells in past sadness, but remains an avenue of growth for Edwards and for his audience. It urges listeners to ask how they can change their responses to negative situations. “While most of these moments really suck, the things that we learn from them help us make better decisions,” he says. “Turning those moments into bangers, well … that’s what Never Better is all about.”
Editor’s Note: Music Editor Heath Ellison is playing guitar for Never Better’s current season of live shows.
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