B-Side Guys

Within seconds of pressing play on Decades Late’s “On a Dream,” listeners are transported through a temporal wormhole. The “thunderous wall of guitars and pounding drums” that introduces the track doesn’t merely reference ’90s alternative rock—it resurrects it with startling authenticity. Yet what follows transcends simple nostalgia mining.

As frontman Andre Delaroche intones “Waking early from a dream/I heard the words it was hard to believe,” the Brooklyn outfit establishes the song’s central tension between unconscious revelation and conscious denial. This liminal space between dreaming and waking becomes the perfect metaphor for a band that exists between musical eras, drawing from past sounds while addressing present concerns.

The lyrical structure follows a deteriorating relationship through dream imagery, with lines like “And then the rain started pouring down/And then you burned it to the ground” conjuring both environmental and interpersonal collapse. This duality feels intentional from a group whose latest EP tackles “climate instability, rising autocracy, and the erosion of civil liberties.” The personal becomes political, just as it did in the alternative rock heyday they channel.

Musically, “On a Dream” showcases the band’s seasoned lineup to full effect. David Butler (whose credits include Guster and Lee “Scratch” Perry) provides propulsive percussion that prevents the 12-string guitar richness from becoming merely atmospheric. Meanwhile, Brett Bass (formerly with Gregg Allman) creates the foundational groove that anchors the track’s emotional journey from devastation to cautious hope.

What distinguishes Decades Late from other ’90s revivalists is their refusal to simply recreate. Working with producer-engineer Reed Black at Vinegar Hill Sound, they’ve captured the analog warmth of their influences while introducing contemporary production techniques that prevent the song from feeling like a museum piece. The “crescendo of dueling guitar solos” that propels the track toward its conclusion feels earned rather than obligatory.

“On a Dream” arrives as the centerpiece of “Second Take” (released April 20, 2025), representing an evolution from both their debut LP “Double Appropriation” and the acoustic-forward “Urban Grass” EP. Through this progression, Decades Late demonstrates that musical nostalgia can be more than mere remembrance—it can be resurrection with purpose.