A guitar riff this addictive should probably come with a small warning label. “Gnash” immediately gets its teeth into me, driven by a rhythmic section that really goes the extra mile and a 7/4 pulse that gives the whole thing a wonderfully crooked sense of movement. There is something almost upbeat about the prog-rock energy here, which makes the song even more fun to get caught inside. I keep coming back to that riff because it has exactly the sort of force that makes you want to turn the volume up rather than politely listen.
The chorus is another big reason this works so well for me. It has a passionate, almost cheeky force that makes it very easy to fall for, while the guitars remain unapologetic throughout. And then there is that vocal tone: fresh, young and friendly enough to soften the sheer muscularity of the rock around it. I really like that contrast. The music can sound aggressive and energetic without the person singing it feeling distant or intimidating, which gives “Gnash” a surprisingly relatable character.
But the teeth in the title are there for a reason. The narrator looks at life as a fight where someone else has to lose for him to get ahead, calling everyone around him a fool while admitting, in the same breath, that his own selfishness is something he cannot quite explain. That is where the song gets properly interesting for me. It is easy to laugh at someone convinced that kindness makes you a sucker, but I also recognise the uncomfortable little voice behind it. I want Gooseberry to become the greatest band in the world, too. Ambition can be a dirty beast, and “Gnash” has the good sense to bite itself as well as everyone else.
About Gooseberry:
Gooseberry are a Brooklyn trio formed in 2019, with Asa Daniels on guitar and vocals, Evin Rossington on drums and Will Hammond on bass. Since their 2022 debut EP “Broken Dance”, they have built their reputation through plenty of live work as well as releases, playing venues including Bowery Ballroom and sharing stages with touring acts. Their sound sits around alternative rock, indie and blues, with the band’s sophomore album “Validate Me” putting that combination into a particularly direct form. What I like about “Gnash” (and about the whole “Simple Sucker“, their latest album) is that sense of a band who have rehearsed the hell out of their material and then left very little room for blandness. The ideas are strong, the playing is confident and the song has absolutely no interest in chasing whatever trend happens to be passing the door.
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