Heavy Lifter Release New Single “Backyard”: Listen

We were into “Control,” the recent single from Oakland “queer post-bubblegum slut grunge” crew Heavy Lifter, and I’d argue “Backyard” is even better. Out today via the great Cherub Dream label, the song begins with an eerie guitar line that reminds me of Metallica’s “Fade To Black.” But by the time Ren Forest’s moonbeam voice is lighting the track, I’m hearing echoes of modern-day cult favorites like Forth Wanderers and Feeble Little Horse as well as a whole range of ’90s touchstones from emo to shoegaze. It’s got a basement show scrappiness to it, but at its climax, the song might as well be dive-bombing across the sky. Listen below.