Like opening a portal to my college dorm room, “Spectre Of Circumstance” by Blonde Goth transported me right back to 1993. A sonic ode to Gish- and Siamese Dream-era Smashing Pumpkins, as well as a slew of guitar-heavy, alternative-rock bands like Dinosaur Jr. and Hum, this song is an acid-washed celebration of an era that hits really hard for a certain demographic and has always been, if not front and center, on the edge of public consciousness. For those less versed in this age of fuzz pedals and noise-influenced solos, “Spectre Of Circumstance” is a superb introduction to a sound that continues to influence new generations of guitar players and bands.
Blonde Goth is the musical name of multi-instrumentalist Nicky Howard, who pulls off the difficult feat of sounding like a band, not just one guy playing everything – there is real musical skill in doing that, approaching each instrument from a different perspective. Howard says he writes “songs about death and joy” and that “Spectre Of Circumstance” came to him in a dream; both of these statements manifest themselves fully in this song. It is not just capturing a nostalgic snapshot, but is like being in a dream, traveling between time in an ever-expanding, compassionless universe. The lyrics, nestled deeply in reverb, are delivered with a soothing tone and call you to lean in and really pay attention.
“Spectre Of Circumstance” might be one of my favorite songs of the year, though I acknowledge I am seriously in the target demographic previously mentioned. It makes me want to grab my guitar off the wall, then put on my Chuck Taylors and go to Goodwill. Blonde Goth has been releasing music since 2022, with their catalog on Bandcamp.
Written by Dylan Steele
