CD of The Week

2023’s Rat Saw God was a major commercial and critical breakthrough for the Asheville, NC shoegaze-meets-Americana quintet, Wednesday. The album may have established the band as leading lights in the newest wave of indie rock, but inter-band turmoil has reared its head in the last few years. For all intents and purposes, Wednesday is the project of frontwoman/lyricist/rhythm guitarist Karly Hartzman, with the other members playing complementary roles. However, Hartzman was also notably romantic partners with lead guitarist MJ Lenderman, who has gained considerable attention (even more so than with his main band) as a solo artist, playing large venues and topping year-end lists with 2024’s Manning Fireworks. Lenderman and Hartzman are no longer a couple, and while Lenderman remains a member of Wednesday (and plays on Bleeds), he no longer tours with the group. All in all, the breakup is only the primary subject of one of the songs on the album (“The Way It Goes”) and the tone there is more melancholic than bitter (don’t expect Rumors-level drama), which is fitting for Hartzman and Wednesday, who prize emotional resonance over retracing the expected musical territory.

Opener “Reality TV Argument Bleeds” kicks off with screeching distortion, a thumping rhythm, and characteristically clever lyrics that only get more vivid and humorous on the next track, “Townies,” a twangier look at Hartzman’s colorful past. She lashes out to an ex that “you sent my nudes around / I never yelled at you about it /’cause you died." The punchline is truly wicked, but what sends the song to another level is the immediate transition to an anthemic chorus based on that final word. Hartzman shows off lyrically with great near-rhyming couplets throughout the album, such as “We watched a Phish concert and Human Centipede / two things I now wish I had never seen” on the endearing “Phish Pepsi.” That being said, Hartzman is more than a comic as her imagery can be deeply disturbing and tragic when appropriate. As with their earlier releases, Bleeds also has a deep sense of place as the wild assortment of characters and messy situations of a mid-sized southern city unfold authentically and colorfully over the course of the twelve tracks.

Sonically, Bleeds is somewhat more streamlined than Wednesday’s previous material, as the song lengths are shorter and the interweaving of the country-influenced elements of their sound with the heavy, guitar-forward base is more refined. For instance, the easy flow of “Elderberry Wine” feels like a natural entryway for the band onto a public radio playlist, but the lyrics are too acerbic and Hartzman’s vocals are too idiosyncratic for the song to occupy the same universe as generic folk-rock. Other tracks such as “Bitter Everyday” and “Pick Up That Knife” have clear hooks, but zagging structures that make for exciting listening.

All in all, Bleeds is another major triumph for Wednesday as they continue to establish themselves as one of the most important and distinctive bands around. Hartzman is a true treasure as a frontwoman and songwriter, and the musicianship and melodic sensibility are consistently high without losing any edge. Interpersonal matters between Hartzman and Lenderman may be complicated, but Wednesday’s music is still easy to love for those who crave honesty and eccentricity.

Wednesday will be returning to Philly for a show at Union Transfer with Daffo on Monday, November 10th.