Gladie closes out a turbulent year with their third EP of the pandemic, Raw Nerve

Despite the pandemic and all the tribulations associated with it, Philly’s Gladie has had a fruitful year. Right before 2020 comes to a close, they’ve capped off their releases with their latest EP Raw Nerve, totaling their 2020 catalog at three EPs and one full-length. 

Raw Nerve furthers the intrinsic lyrical quality of Gladie, fueled with captivating narratives and punchy lines that hook listeners into their indie rock groove. The opening track “Got Nothing For Ya” stars the trio of songs off with catchy, fast-paced thrashing guitar and drums behind the repetitive chants of “maybe this time I’ll win.” The lyrical content introduces a common theme across the tracks that convey moods of mixed emotions, from seeking positivity amongst the chaos to questioning the state of the world, like on the closing rendition of the Beastie Boys’ “Song for the Man.” Frontperson Augustus Koch spoke to The Key about the project:

“As far as Raw Nerve goes we really wanted to write and release music as much as we could to document and reflect on this strange year. Got Nothing For Ya is supposed to be a call for optimism in a world where everything feels like it’s going to hell. Ending our last release of year with a beastie boys cover just felt like it made sense given the lyrical content of the song.”

Raw Nerve is a collection of songs that fit the times, threaded with endearing lyrics and glimmering musicianship. Koch’s vocals float seamlessly over the tracks, with a raw intimacy that emphasizes the vulnerability in some of its lyrics, like on “No Call List’s” central question — “Did I deserve it?” — to the power infused in “Song for the Man.” Gladie closes out their year on a strong note.

Koch recently appeared on an episode of the podcast The Musicians Guild with Steve Choi, and discussed a variety of topics music and non-music related, including projects with Gladie throughout the past year. You can listen here and check out Raw Nerve below.