West Friends crashes onto the scene like a wave of caffeinated angst with their debut single, “You’ll Hate It Here”—a gloriously loud, sarcastic, and secretly sentimental love letter to the West Coast that punches hard and hugs harder. This track is what driving down the I-5 in a beat-up car with the windows down feels like as you yell about overpriced lattes and earthquake anxiety while still being totally in love with the view. It’s pop-punk therapy for the modern hellscape, and it slaps.
With thumping drums and melodic guitars that crash in like a sonic tide, the track builds a wall of sound that’s both aggressive and addictive. The lead vocals, high, husky, and painfully honest, carry that perfect blend of bratty charm and world-weary heartache. And when the gang vocals shout “Welcome, we hate it here,” it feels like the new anthem for every disillusioned West Coaster clutching a $7 cold brew and a cracked iPhone.
Lyrically, it’s biting satire laced with brutal truths. West Friends takes all the stuff people love to hate about Seattle and San Francisco, liberal snowflakes, overpriced everything, gridlock, tech layoffs, purple wine teeth, and turns it into pure poetry. The chorus hit so hard it tattooed itself on my soul and then charged me rent.
Underneath the snark is a raw affection—like yeah, we know it’s messed up, but it’s our mess. Produced with Tom Ianello (of Transit/Driveways fame), the polish never dulls the edge. It’s tight, it’s loud, and it never lets up.
“You’ll Hate It Here” is from their upcoming album Junk Drawer. So stay tuned with West Friends for more releases.
STAY IN TOUCH:
INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE
Photo Credit: Sarina Solem
Review by: Naomi Joan