Raleigh indie rock trio Goddamn Wolves released their new single "We're Doomed," and despite the apocalyptic title, the song is anything but throwing up the white flag. It's a defiant toe-tapper laced with earnest optimism, demonstrating that this band does its best at the spot where openness meets vitality.
The first chords of opener "We're Doomed" bit in the round warmth of the interlocking male/female harmonies from Chris Weilding (guitar/vocals) and Laura McCullough (bass), whose voices lock in like long-trusted co-conspirators shoulder-to-shoulder in shared purpose. A melodic magnetism here, however much raw edge wrestles with a polished pop sheen, keeps you buoyant, purposeful, and the song moving. Beneath everything, drummer Drew Foglia provides the motor with shifting rhythms and textured backing vocals that accent the track without overpowering it.
Whereas the instruments grab you upfront, the song's thematic tightrope walk makes the most lasting impression. There's a glimmer in the gloom, an awareness that doom isn't the actual threat, not the chaos at our door, but how we respond. It's a reminder to keep moving," Wielding sums up the song's emotional heart. There's catharsis in its catchiness, a musical armoring-up that feels particularly necessary in these uncertain times.
It's no wonder The Big Takeover said the band created that perfect balance of an almost pop infectiousness mixed with an underground rock feel. "We're Doomed" is a contemporary indie anthem that retains its sense of urgency while feeling almost unhurried, as if it's on borrowed time to dance through the finish line.