The Mustard’s “Where We’re Goin” is a moody, immersive rock song that draws you into its spacious soundscape before tightening its grip with an undercurrent of tension.
The track unfolds with an uneasy way that balances an expansive, echo-laden atmosphere with a vocal performance that feels intimate and almost whispered. Charles Allan’s voice has a sharp yet inviting quality, delivering each line with a restrained intensity that keeps you hooked.
The keys and 12-string acoustic guitars are central to the song’s identity, creating a shimmering, open-ended sound inspired in part by Simple Minds’ B-side “Goodnight.” The guitar tones are particularly distinctive, running through layers of Tera Echo, delay, and chorus that give them an almost otherworldly depth. Meanwhile, the volume effects in the quieter pre-choruses pull the energy back, making the return of the fuller, punchier choruses all the more satisfying. It’s a clever bit of dynamic contrast, allowing the song to breathe before drawing you back into its embrace.
Beneath that atmospheric arrangement lies a deeply personal story. The song was inspired by guitarist Ollie Foord and his sister navigating the challenges of caring for their mother as she lives with dementia. Yet its emotional reach extends beyond that experience, touching on the uncertainty and upheaval that accompany life-changing circumstances more broadly.
Recorded at Sunshine Corner Studios with engineer Steve Smiley Barnard, the track benefits from a considered production that serves the song rather than instrumental showmanship.
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Review by: Naomi Joan