B-Side Guys

Breaking a seven-year silence isn’t easy, but Melbourne’s Grand Baxter have chosen their moment perfectly. Released earlier this month, “Silverline” – the title track from their new EP – transforms crisis into catharsis through a masterful build of texture and tension.

The trio’s arrangement prowess shines immediately, with Benjamin Langdon’s earnest songwriting finding perfect companions in Dylan Knur’s violin/mandolin textures and Jack Wieseler’s electric guitar work. Their classical and contemporary backgrounds meld particularly well in the song’s opening moments, where “smoke in the halls” materializes through delicate instrumental interplay.

Producer Zac Barter (known for work with Didirri and Alex The Astronaut) deserves special credit for the track’s patient evolution. The mix allows each element – from shimmering guitars to layered strings – to emerge naturally as the song builds toward its massive choral bridge at the four-minute mark. It’s here that lines like “All that I ask is keep me in your heart” transform from whispered prayer to communal affirmation.

The metaphor of searching for light in a burning building could easily feel heavy-handed, but Langdon’s writing keeps it grounded in intimate detail: “Our hands held solid / Like blankets in bedding / You smiling soft by my side.” These moments of tenderness amid chaos give the track’s crescendos their true power.

What’s most remarkable about “Silverline” is how it functions both as a standalone piece and as the culmination of the EP’s broader themes. The James Taylor and Jason Isbell influences are present in the band’s folk-rock foundations, but the trio pushes far beyond mere homage. When they promise “We’ll shine again” in the song’s final moments, backed by stacked guitars, violin, and organ, it feels less like hope and more like certainty.