Soft Cheese churn up garage rock in dreamy / heavy ways on "Bad News"

 

"don't get the wrong idea..."

Portland’s Soft Cheese have just released their debut self-titled album on Christmas, the first track being “Bad News.” That much fuzzy sound coming from 3 people is admirable to say the least, with dreamy tones and vocals from guitarist Hugh Jepson that melt like a...soft cheese. Annie Miranda (bass) and Dustin Stallings (drums) carry the rhythm and reverb effortlessly as the album floats through a culmination of musical styles that blend well for easy listening. Cam Spies from Trash Treasury who mixed and produced the album accompanied ethereal synth as well. There’s really nothing to dislike about this, and we know their future shows after the pandemic will be a must see for Portland and beyond. Give “Bad News” and the rest of their debut album a listen while you gear up for the new year.

-Alyssa Holland 

Soft Cheese · Bad News

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Connecting the dots between the heaviness of 90’s-inspired grunge and the fog of shoegaze, Soft Cheese has found ways to create their own unique style of pop. Ripe with fuzz and dissonant hooks, the music is both complex and catchy. Floated into the melodies are lyrics soaked with an intensity and tenderness you never saw coming, coupled with plenty of reverb and chorus to taste. All of these elements can be heard on Soft Cheese’s eponymous debut record, which is set to be released at the end of 2020.

Born out of a solo project, songwriter, Hugh Jepson started Soft Cheese to move in a new musical direction - a challenge to exercise more restraint and write more intentionally. The result is Jepson’s distilled pop sensibilities entwined with a melody focused garage rock approach that reaches fans of an array of genres.

Soft Cheese took form as a full band with Jepson naturally gravitating towards his favorite players and friends from other shared projects. The group is filled out and brought to life with the help of bassist Annie Miranda and Dustin Stallings on drums. Jepson and Stallings have been friends and bandmates for the past ten years, spending their time cutting their teeth in the Portland scene as the Dovecotes. Jepson and Miranda hold down the rhythm section of rock band Moon Shy, and all three play together in Portland’s Geezer, a Weezer tribute band.

The group instantly felt comfortable and constructive; they took their ease of collaboration in stride and found success in the Portland scene. Six months from their first show as a full band in April 2019, Soft Cheese rolled into the studio to record their first record. With the help of engineer, Cameron Spies at Trash Treasury, the band recorded and mixed their first full length album.

The energy and enthusiasm in this band has channeled a feverish productivity that shows no signs of slowing. Armed with their debut record, and having released two self recorded EP’s (blue sausage fruit and tarp) during the covid lockdown, Soft Cheese is excited about the possibility of working with a label to grow and maximize their momentum as an up-and-coming Portland outfit.

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