Softcult - When A Flower Doesn't Grow

Ontario-based sibling duo Softcult have spent the last few years building a very specific kind of universe, one where grunge grit and shoegaze glow can sit in the same room without arguing. Fronted by Mercedes Arn-Horn, with Phoenix Arn-Horn behind the boards and generally steering the whole DIY spaceship, their debut album 'When A Flower Doesn't Grow' feels like the moment they stop being "ones to watch" and start being the band who are already watching you, actually.

It opens with a gentle scene-setter, then 'Pill To Swallow' and 'Naive' lean into that warm, familiar shoegaze comfort. The guitars bloom, the edges blur, and it all feels reassuring even as the lyrics poke at genuinely grim realities. Softcult have a knack for tackling difficult subjects without making you feel lectured or left out in the cold.

Then '16/25' arrives and the vibe changes. The laidback haze tightens into something sharper, more sinister. 'She Said, He Said' is the big rousing moment, built to be yelled back at them in a room full of people who have also had enough. Across the album, there's a running feeling that if you mess with Softcult, you will be dealt with, and not in an inspirational-poster way. More in a "buried under their patio" way.

'I Held You Like Glass' and 'Queen Of Nothing' are delicate and thoughtful, a pause that makes the next loud run hit harder. From there, 'Tired!' and 'Not Sorry' crank everything back up, muscles tensed, hooks clenched in a fist. By the time the closing title-track rolls in, things slow again, but it lands with a sense of closure rather than sadness.

There's anger here, and comfort, and a lot of noise used very deliberately. 'When A Flower Doesn't Grow' doesn't offer easy answers, but it does offer solidarity.