FFO: Seaglass – EP2

Newcastle’s Seaglass have self‑released their debut six-track EP, EP2, now available on streaming platforms and on CD via Bandcamp. Recorded live in a single day at Durham’s Rockinghorse Studio, the release captures the band’s post‑punk, post‑grunge and post‑shoegaze influences, shaped through recent live shows.

Thematically, the release digs into personal relationships, anti‑working‑class prejudice, crippling debt and the small comforts used to blunt the existential slog. Sonically, it moves from Eat The Pain Away, with its impassioned vocals, thunderous rolling rhythms and crunchy guitars, into Council House But Never Violent, which blends garage‑leaning post‑rock textures with punk‑edged vocals. Rattle follows, opening with bright harmonies before dropping into darker, brooding vocals and slick, Interpol‑style guitar lines that break into distortion in the chorus. 0% Interest leans grungier and looser, while Best Punk Rock mixes thrashier beats and accentuating guitar with a more tender vocal delivery. Sustain Vs Rate Of Decay closes the EP in a more atmospheric space, driven by expansive, aggressive vocals, militant beats and warm, fuzzy guitars. Across its six tracks, the EP builds a cohesive journey through tone and texture, and considering it was recorded in a single day, it lands as a remarkably accomplished debut.

Here, the band try to sum up the sounds of their latest release using three other tracks…

This was a really difficult assignment! There’s so much music we love, so many artists who have influenced us that we could have compiled a list of hundreds of bands. Lots of music we love isn’t obvious in our sound but has definitely influenced who we are. We’re conscious that our choices are all male and all from the US but we think that they sum us up pretty well. So, here are three artists who give you a flavour of what makes us Seaglass.

Mission of Burma – That’s When I Reach For My Revolver

The very first time we came together in a rehearsal studio we were playing around with a few ideas, one of which became our song “Eat The Pain Away”. I think we knew straight away that we sounded great together and it was one of those magical moments when you think that you may be on to something special. After playing around with the riff for a while I think we all agreed that it was reminiscent of Mission of Burma. Spiky guitars with driving drums and bass but still with a melodic sensibility.

Fugazi – Repeater

Fugazi were a huge influence on all of us. Ian MacKaye is the embodiment of the DIY ethic and if Seaglass is anything, it’s DIY. Fugazi fused loud guitars and angry vocals with a groove and sense of melody that is a bit like us: taking what could be a straight-ahead punk/rock sound and transforming it into something different, something fresh and more interesting. And, of course, there is the social conscience – Seaglass often likes to sing about things that we feel are wrong in the world and how they could be better but we also like to sing about personal issues and personal relationships.

Slint – Good Morning Captain

Spiderland was a game changer. Taking the quiet/loud dynamic to the next level, intricate rhythms butted up against monstrous guitars building to immense crescendos. Seaglass is conscious not to fall into the quiet/loud/quiet/LOUDER dynamic but it’s so much fun we can’t resist. Good Morning Captain starts with a whisper but the final screamed vocal of ‘I miss you’ never fails to break our hearts. If we can be anywhere as powerful as this, we’re doing something right.