“Shoegazeicana” and “countrygaze” are the go-to terms frequently used by the press to describe these post-pandemic Austin-formed, New York-based indie risers. The first of these, they’ve even proudly highlighted on their Bandcamp page. However, these labels are probably the most precise definitions of Why Bonnie’s sound, especially in light of the more upbeat approach on their sophomore full-length venture, which becomes evident from the get-go.
The opening cut, ‘Wish on the Bone’, while a bit melancholic, is still far more playful and upbeat than anything in their previous body of work. This time, the authors of the line “Lonely times are louder / In the Lone Star State” and adepts of dreamy, reverb-drenched sonics go pop, adding more bouncy rhythms with intoxicating sunshine. It’s actually hardly surprising, given that vocalist Blair Howerton is into the new Beyoncé album and was a massive Nelly Furtado fan from the age of six.
‘Dotted Line’ builds on this direction with a stadium-worthy tune that evokes some of the sleaziest rock sounds of the century, in the vein of The Killers, while nodding to early 2010s folk with shades of Sharon Van Etten. Then there’s ‘Rhyme or Reason’, an outlier with almost math rock riffs gently blended with Dolores O’Riordan- or Michael Stipe-recalling howls.
“It’s not my face / I imitate”, Howerton sings in ‘Fake Out’, easily channeling the spirit of 2000s indie rock at the same time. “It’s easy as 1,2,3 / If you just put your faith in me”, she seemingly encourages listeners in ‘Dotted Line’, and Wish on the Bone certainly offers us that chance.
Their 2022 debut offering, 90 In November, evoked memories of Howerton’s Texas home and took a therapeutic approach to processing the loss of her brother in 2016. While that record leaned towards a fairly melancholic, shoegazy post-Bridgerscore with a faint glimmer of hope, their sophomore effort is decidedly more uplifting, diverse, and eclectic.
“I’ve changed since that album, and I trust that I’ll probably continue to change”, Howerton says. “We were trying on musical hats”, she explains, making critics’ low-key comparisons with Broken Social Scene or even Wilco feel pretty legitimate. Beyond a touch of highly textured shoegaze and a whole bunch of the past five years’ guitar trends, Why Bonnie deftly infuses the record with exacting pop hooks and a touch of Americana-lite.
‘Headlight Sun’ is an electricity-tinged folk-bent anthem with strikingly vital pop motifs. “You cast a neon light / When you’re having fun / Like a poetic line in a standard country song”, her enchanting voice floats delicately through Beach Fossils-worthy relaxed guitar licks. “Oh, I stand so tall / When nobody’s there to make me small”, Howerton sings on the twangy, All-American blockbuster ‘Three Big Moons’, making even melancholy sound very laid-back.
In the simplest and most concise way, their sonic and narrative evolution is best illustrated by the epic power-play ‘All the Money’, which begins as a claustrophobic horror before becoming more positive, self-assured, and varied, eventually morphing into a spacious ballad that gives hope after a dark night. The same can be said of Why Bonnie’s new album, which serves as a bright representation of human resilience.
Thanks to the rejuvenating spirit of art, Blair Howerton overcame her personal struggles and can now bring hope to listeners—and even to music critics still ruminating on timeless DSAS dilemma.
