B-Side Guys

Released in the final days of 2024, Woodward’s “I’m Glad” reveals the Indianapolis quartet’s remarkable gift for wrapping unsettling sentiments in deceptively comforting musical textures. The brotherly writing duo of Matt and Sam Woodward have crafted something that lingers long after its final notes fade—a dream pop confessional that conceals sharp emotional hooks beneath shimmering surfaces.

The song’s opening guitar work immediately establishes the dreamlike atmosphere that defines Woodward’s sound—crystalline arpeggios and reverb-drenched chords creating a sonic embrace that mirrors the welcoming message of the lyrics’ opening lines. When Matt Woodward offers reassurance with “Hey, I thought that you’d wanna know that we’re okay,” the delivery suggests both genuine concern and something slightly more ambiguous lurking beneath.

This ambiguity crystallizes in the chorus, where the repeated phrase “I’m glad you’re here” transforms from simple welcome into something more complex through lines addressing someone “trapped in your life” and “drowning in fear.” The melody here soars with an ethereal quality that contrasts with the unsettling psychological portrait being painted, creating fascinating tension between sound and sentiment.

The production choices amplify this duality—the rhythm section of Jose Martinez and Josh Woodward providing steady, hypnotic grounding while the guitars create atmospheric swirls above. This layered approach perfectly complements the song’s lyrical journey, particularly in how it builds toward the crucial twist in the final chorus where “something in your head isn’t right” becomes “something in my head isn’t right”—a revealing moment that recontextualizes everything that came before.

This subtle shift transforms what initially seemed like a comforting hand extended to someone in distress into something more complex—perhaps an admission of the narrator’s own psychological struggle or a revelation about manipulative intent. The bridge’s repetition of “It’s not right” takes on haunting implications after this twist, especially as it carries through the outro, becoming more fractured and dissonant.

“I’m Glad” demonstrates significant artistic growth since Woodward’s 2023 EP “Stereo Soul,” suggesting why anticipation builds for their forthcoming debut album. The fraternal songwriting partnership has crafted something that honors dream pop’s tradition of juxtaposing beauty with discomfort—creating space where listeners can find either solace or disquiet, depending on how deeply they choose to dive beneath the glistening surface.