B-Side Guys

Portland’s alternative scene continues its remarkable evolution with Baby Grendel’s February 2025 release “Hatching,” a tightly wound exercise in controlled combustion that suggests meticulous planning beneath apparent disorder. Formed in 2022 by Jonathan Suarez and Joe Mengis, then expanded to include Colleen Johnson, Tomás Sakatani, Faith Loomis, and Zach Cardenas, the band delivers a debut that balances raw immediacy with surprising structural sophistication.

From its opening declaration of psychological complexity, “Hatching” establishes both self-awareness and accusation as twin narrative threads. Suarez’s vocals shift between confession and confrontation, creating a compelling tension that mirrors the instrumental dynamics—quiet passages erupt without warning, only to retreat into restrained intensity before the next explosion.

The rhythm section deserves particular attention. Loomis’s bass lines provide melodic counterpoint to Suarez’s vocal delivery rather than merely anchoring the arrangements, while Cardenas’s drumming creates propulsion that feels simultaneously urgent and precisely calibrated. This foundation allows Johnson’s keyboard textures to introduce atmospheric complexity without sacrificing the track’s essential directness.

Most compelling is the chorus acknowledging plans being “hatched” alongside cognitive deterioration. This juxtaposition of strategic thinking and mental unraveling creates the track’s central paradox—suggesting rebellion requires both careful calculation and willingness to embrace potential self-destruction. The repeated question “Am I going down like this?” functions less as fear than as consideration of methodology, examining not whether decline will occur but the specific manner of its execution.

The production captures each instrument with remarkable clarity while maintaining the raw energy of live performance. Sakatani’s lead guitar punctuates rather than dominates, introducing angular phrases that complement rather than overshadow Suarez’s rhythm playing. Johnson’s backing vocals add dimensional depth without softening the track’s confrontational edge.

“Hatching” ultimately succeeds by documenting that precise moment when awareness precedes action—the space between recognizing dysfunction and implementing response. The title itself suggests both emergence and calculation, referencing both birth and conspiracy. For a band formed just three years ago, Baby Grendel demonstrates remarkable confidence in exploring this liminal territory, delivering a Portland alternative rock statement that honors the city’s independent heritage while pushing toward new possibilities.