The Upsides have just announced that their second album In The Maze will be out on October 16. Alongside the announcement the band shared their newest single, “Pretending It Fades,” a nostalgic indie rock track that levels up the groups pre-existing sound.
The Upsides frontman Dan Fullman describes the project overall as succumbing to chaos and choosing to get back up again even if it’s not in the most convenient way. “So many people live with regrets that they chose a comfortable, cookie-cutter life, while so many people love the stability of a certain job, the warmth of family which keeps them sane and away from chaos and that’s beautiful too,” he said.
“I think the smartest people, regardless of what they accomplish in life, find that there are zero universally ‘right’ answers to anything. You do your best, and then you’re dead basically. So go for what you want – the job, the partner, the creative endeavor – and go for it now.”
While “Pretending It Fades” may be the most straightforward breakup song on the new record, it tackles grief from a more nuanced place. There’s a recognition in the chorus of how idealism plays a role in the healing process, but by the final chorus, there’s an acknowledgment that you can’t completely erase the things that hurt you. You can, however, learn to grow around them. Overall, the song carries the sentiment that “maybe these aren’t actually wounds – this relationship changed me and I’m getting used to my new shape,” said Fullman.
Despite the pain that’s described in the verses, the song ends on a hopeful note. It’s a reminder that it’s okay to be hurt and not really know where things went wrong, but it also shows us that pain isn’t forever and life will go on.
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