B-Side Guys

Brevity becomes Mister Rabbit on “Soft Delusion,” a compact Britpop-influenced track that packs existential questioning into just over two minutes of tightly wound indie rock. The Ontario outfit has evolved their sound since their debut LP “End Of History Illusion,” sharpening their songwriting while maintaining the mathematical precision that defines their instrumental approach.

The track opens with an immediately arresting question—”Is closure given or received?”—setting up its central philosophical inquiry. This framing device proves remarkably effective, positioning the song as both personal meditation and universal pondering. The persistent questioning throughout creates a lyrical structure that mirrors the emotional uncertainty at the heart of the narrative.

Musically, “Soft Delusion” showcases the band’s self-described “unique guitar leads combined with compelling vocal melodies.” The interplay between these elements creates productive tension, particularly during the chorus where fuzzed-out guitar tones provide textural contrast to the clearer vocal delivery. The rhythm section delivers on its promise of providing a “solid, more robust foundation,” with drumming that propels rather than merely accompanies.

The song’s emotional center emerges when closure is described as “something right in between a memory and a dream”—positioning it as neither concrete reality nor pure fantasy but something frustratingly liminal. This liminality extends to the sonic approach, where Southern Ontario punk and emo influences blend with contemporary indie rock and Britpop sensibilities.

“Soft Delusion” ultimately succeeds because it transforms psychological ambiguity into musical certainty. While the lyrics question whether emotional resolution is possible, the composition itself provides a form of closure through its deliberate structure and satisfying dynamic shifts. In just a few minutes, Mister Rabbit captures that universal feeling of chasing an emotional state that might be nothing more than a “soft delusion” itself—a mirage we pursue despite suspecting it may never fully materialize.