The members of Atlanta-based GREBE have a history that goes back to their high school days. However, the formation of the band took a little time, and their debut EP was only released in 2025.
Now, with a name like ‘GREBE’, a new single called ‘Warbler’, a forthcoming album called ‘Hell Diver’, and a bio that describes them as a “boot-gaze, shoe-core, bird bath band”, there is clearly a mild avian obsession here that is delightfully unexplained!
When ‘Warbler’ starts, there’s a gritty, lo-fi sound. A warm acoustic guitar melody and some wonderfully dense, washy cymbals are eventually joined by some long, wailing guitar notes (what the band calls “ambient chirps and whistles”). They do indeed sound like some exotic bird call.
Kade Whitlark’s vocal has bags of personality and expression. His accent shapes every phrase, and the backing vox – subtle, and an octave down – adds a perfect depth.
Found a Yellow Hooded Warbler dead in the park.
Took it home and buried it in my backyard.
Pieces of you are buried there, too.
The song takes off – and everything explodes – crashing and shattering as guitars writhe and thrash, cymbals cascade and bloom. It’s an apocalyptic, atmospheric overload. Things turn from melody to a molten, saturated roar.
The contrasts in ‘Warbler’ are so extreme – like black ink on fresh snow- that you feel like you’ve been shaken awake, then heavily sedated.
When it breaks back down, the guitar repeats ad infinitum, echoed off into the distance like a bird floating away on warm air. The creative use of FX throughout the track is a real treat, and the sci-fi-like noises and glitches give everything a pleasingly vintage, analogue texture.
‘Warbler’ drifts away like a feather in the wind, and I think all band members (Kade Whitlark: vox/guitar, Logan Neely: guitar, William Gunnin: drums, and Miles Wakeman: bass) deserve a huge shout-out. With ‘Warbler’, they have produced both a blistering cascade of sound and a delicate, shimmering breeze.
Accompanying ‘Warbler’ is an amazing, animated music video featuring a stream-of-consciousness trickle of hand-drawn graphics:
Written by Grubby
