(90s US Indie / Grunge) On the surface, the FULLER setup is simple: drums, guitar, bass—and a voice that cuts through the sound, comments on its surroundings, reflects, and gives it subjectivity and presence—“we are here today, for all we’ve done.” That’s rock music in a nutshell.
With their debut EP, Fuller show how far this pared-down idea can go. None of the five songs breaks the three-minute mark; nothing overstays its welcome. Punk-focused and to the point, the band captures the joy born in a slowly decaying rehearsal room: driving, rumbling drums; a fuzzy, anchoring bass; and a guitar whose melodic playfulness nearly steals the show before stepping back to let the songs breathe. You might think of Dinosaur Jr. or Greg Sage, but you don’t need the references when Paddy McAloon already put it plainly: “Grander than castles, cathedrals or stars: Electric guitars!”
The 0pener “Mew” reads like a mission statement, praising simple pleasures—“and it’s not much more to do”—while Florian Bauer’s feline drawl admits the chase for meaning that slips away: “It had a silent meaning when I kneeled next to you while you passed away.” Beneath the simplicity lies nostalgia and a constitutive melancholy.
The EP’s clear highlight is “The Nix,” which faces the depressive undertow of looking back without romanticizing it. Near the end, as the vocal feels “stuck,” a contrary guitar line slips in, offering a quiet way out.
That’s it: moments like these reward close listening on a modest, unpretentious record—helped by Christian Bethge’s sensitive production. Fuller may never step onto the “Center Court” that lends the last track its title. They likely don’t want to. They seem perfectly content to keep refining this beautiful, simple setup.
300 Vinyl copies / 100 red – 200 blue
FFO: Dinosaur Jr., Pabst, Built To Spill, Pavement
Check FULLER out now!
