A great way to start the new year is with something new, and from what I could tell, Awaiting Abigail is a newly-bred rock band composed of six people from Dallas who seem like they’re getting ready to make noise with their single “Bad Mind”, and in doing so, put a good foot forward.
It’s got all the essential ingredients to a grunge-inspired track like this: loud, moody guitars that really pack a punch, breathy vocals that hint at something raw and emotional, and lyrics about anguish, malaise and everything in things that tap into that familiar angst of feeling lost and misunderstood. There’s a vibe of rebellious energy here, and for fans of the genre, it will certainly scratch a nostalgic itch or two.
That said, while the ingredients are all in place, it feels like the song could use just a little more direction. The structure and tone definitely channel a mid-90s-to-early-2000s grunge spirit, and as a result, isn’t really pushing itself into something more unique or bold. The riffs are solid, but it doesn’t quite grab you in the same way that other tracks in the genre do, and the general competence in every element in the mix aside from the production which I find to be a tad too clean for my tastes in this style of music. That said, it’s far from a bad track – it’s just not particularly groundbreaking. It’s like the band is still figuring out how to tap into their true energies, but they’re not quite there just yet.
All in all, “Bad Mind” is an enjoyable, albeit familiar piece of grunge-inspired music that does a great job of channeling the alternative rock vibe that so many people love, especially if you’re into that grunge/alternative frustration. It doesn’t necessarily re-invent the wheel or anything, but it’s fun to listen to while it’s on, even if it doesn’t quite leave anything more than a good first impression, which leaves me optimistic about what awaits their sound in the future.
Follow Awaiting Abigail
About the Author
A tenured media critic known working as a ghost writer, freelance critic for publications in the US and former lead writer of Atop The Treehouse. Reviews music, film and TV shows for media aggregators.
