SONG PREMIERE: Sweet Fantastic Deliver Triumphant Indie Rock with “Breaking Up”

There’s nothing better than music borne out of friendship. It sweetens the melodies and injects a little heart into every note. And for indie rockers Sweet Fantastic, music is a vessel to pour your hopes and dreams. The band sounds ready to unleash their signature brand of rock and roll into the world on their debut single “Breaking Up.”

With Chris Taylor (Love Coma, Solo) in San Antonio, TX and Kevin Bianchi (Vanishing Shore) in Cleveland, OH, this project was fueled by their commitment to making indie rock that reflected the landscape of human experience. Their collaboration combines two visions of the world into shared musical moments. “Breaking Up” is just the first song to come out of this meeting of two songwriters and soundscapers, and today we are excited to offer an exclusive premiere of the track on Glide.

For a debut single, this song sounds like it’s made by artists who’ve been collaborating for years. With its swirling guitars and big, thumping drums, “Breaking Up” is equal parts Sonic Youth and Beatles. It’s noisy yet organized, with each sound placed perfectly in the mix. For a song recorded in isolation via email and file-swapping, it sounds nothing like a cold, digital representation of the song. It’s alive, almost as if the band was physically together.

With this as a first single, it’s apparent that there are great things yet to come from Sweet Fantastic. As the final notes of spacey, staccato piano fade to silence, I can’t shake the feeling that I want to hear more from this band. And luckily, they’ve got much more music on their horizon!

Listen to the track and read our chat with the band below…

What was it like to craft this song over a long distance? You really injected a lot of life into it!

CT: As far as writing with Kevin over a long distance, he made it very easy for me. I’m used to doing the heavy lifting, the songwriting, the lyrics, leading a band, the solo thing… Kevin would send me bits of musical ideas that would spark instant lyrical melodies in my mind. Sometimes he’d send a rough sketch of a lyric or melody and I’d twist it into my own vocal shapes and styles. It was like rapid fire. We both work pretty quickly when given the time to dive into our creative process.

How did the two of you meet?

CT: I could tell you how we met in the sewers of rural Illinois. He was working for the US Marshals and I was a fugitive trying to crack a case and run from the law. Or I could tell you about how we’ve been touring together as a folk acoustic duo that would change our name before playing each new town. Throw open the guitar case and play for spare change only to realize we were meant for rock and roll glory. Or maybe we’ve been stalking each other through social media for years. Mutual Appreciation Society. After a while, it was instinct that brought us together creatively… I knew I’d be the drop of acid to his big, killer, rock song structures. He knew there was more to my voice than the talk-sing Lou Reed or Bob Dylan approach. He brought out my Big Voice.

Were there any other songs that came out of the “Breaking Up” sessions?

CT: There we’re a handful of songs recorded in a flurry of time, zipping like musical lighting bolts from inbox to inbox. It doesn’t sound as cool as being in the same room vibe-ing off of each other but we were in the same headspace. For me it’s great to have Kevin taking care of the music bits on this project. It frees me up to be a singer and lyricist and I get excited because the music he sends me doesn’t sound like anything I would write on my own. It’s something new and fresh in my ears, the instant I press play. So it’s inspiring and I run with it.

Talk about your relationship with St. Francis records! How’d you get connected with them?

CT: Born in Italy circa 1181, Saint Francis of Assisi was renowned for drinking and partying in his youth. After fighting in a battle between Assisi and Perugia, Francis was captured and imprisoned for ransom.

His story goes on from there but the important thing is that St. Francis Records is carrying his torch in 2022.

Where can listeners find you in the coming months?

CT: In tears, alone and under the covers. When I’m up and about, I’m usually painting or recording new music. The best place to find me is on my Patreon page. Live shows are few and far between at the moment and in south Texas, who wants to play outdoor shows in 107° temperatures?! I stay active and try my best to combat chaos with creativity.

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