“Relationships implode. Friendships collapse. Loved ones die.”
If you were wondering if The Only Humans would somehow have less to say with an EP following 2024’s brilliant concept album It’s A Beautiful Night. I Think I’ll Disappear Forever. (Find it right now by heading right here) then we’d like to refer you to the above quote from the band which we think succinctly sums up what to expect on the upcoming It Didn’t Hit Me Until Today.
2026 is already packed release-wise nationally but we’re more overwhelmed (In a good way!) with the onslaught of aural entertainment from our local friends. So many full-lengths, follow-up’s, debuts and Singles! have already found their way into awaiting earholes but it looks like the onset of Summer will be ramping up that release schedule with one of our most anticipated, from MA’s The Only Humans, arriving imminently. Featuring the refined lineup of Tim Howd (Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Synthesizer), Renée Gauthier (Bass Guitar, Violin, Backing Vox) and Neil Morrissey (Violin) with a plethora of guest spots (We’ll get to those…), The Only Humans add to their existing catalog of enduring sonic stories on It Didn’t Hit Me Until Today which at times brings to mind the Alternative elegance of artists like Neutral Milk Hotel, Old 97’s, early Modest Mouse and even local peers Eldridge Rodriguez.
“Invisible Outposts” quietly starts things off with Howd’s powerful prose once again at the forefront of each and every track with this one in particular bringing a somber tone that’s still stirring while “Waterfall Song” is vibrant by comparison with Michelle Tucker’s bass drum steadily thumping away as Howd offers more words of wisdom (“But if you can’t change the world on purpose/Maybe you can by mistake”). Speaking of words, “Narcissus” has some absolute poetry with Howd describing the “comfort in the drone of the ice machine” one second and then savagely lamenting the fallout from a break up the next (“You can keep our friends/As long as you stay gone for good”) on a song that hearkens to the mellower but still feisty bits of SPICE (The inclusion of a violin within each band certainly helps) as Lillian Edith Martin accompanies on Synth and Programming with Tucker once again behind the kit.
“Upon Seeing a White Dove on a Balcony Rail” is one sad fucking song but sounds so sweet. Because that’s what The Only Humans do. And it really works. There’s dueling violin lines and Howd’s speedy strumming building a vivacious kind of melancholy when you pay attention to what he’s saying. But on the other hand, you can also just enjoy it as a lush Alternative/Americana hybrid. The penultimate track here, “Another Autumn Song”, sounds exactly like its’ name and packs a punch (Accentuated by Mike Cashin’s Drums) by sporting a baroqueness with sweeping strings and a vibe that’s perfect for a Fall wedding and paints a picture of the bride and groom or of the groom and groom or of the bride and bride or of any combination of humans that makes the most sense to you gliding across the dance floor as the song swells and swells.
“Running Out on the Check” checks out of It Didn’t Hit Me Until Today just us subtly as it checked in when “Invisible Outposts” started this next chapter off amidst tender plucking and picking throughout a tumultuous tale from Howd and solemn sonic surges.
It Didn’t Hit Me Until Today is out on May 29th. You can find your copy by heading here! For more on The Only Humans, hop on the information superhighway and make stops at their socials located here, here or here.