B-Side Guys

There’s a specific emotional contradiction at work when you’re furious with someone you still care about—when justified anger coexists with genuine concern for their wellbeing. STAHR’s “Loving Friend” inhabits that uncomfortable middle ground, refusing to simplify the mess of watching a friendship disintegrate while still hoping the other person finds their way.

The Meanjin duo of Grace Harris and Samuel Shepherd built their sound on contrasts, and here they weaponize that tension brilliantly. Shepherd’s lead vocal carries swagger that borders on defiance, delivered over fuzzed guitar riffs that strut rather than pummel. The production doesn’t apologize for its confidence—those sweltering guitars and driving percussion feel deliberately bold, creating space for emotional complexity rather than wallowing in introspection. When the chorus hits with its lush synth layers and stacked harmonies, the track transforms from strut to confession without losing its spine.

What keeps “Loving Friend” from collapsing into bitter finger-pointing is its commitment to empathy alongside the frustration. This isn’t a takedown disguised as concern; it’s the harder work of acknowledging that sometimes caring for someone means stepping back, that the kindest closure still carries weight. The lyrics walk that tightrope between calling out destructive patterns and maintaining fundamental belief in someone’s potential—the “higher road” the band describes, though that phrase undersells how difficult that elevation actually is.

STAHR’s desert rock influences seep through in the track’s heat and haze, but there’s pop architecture underneath keeping everything structured and purposeful. Every element serves the emotional narrative: the rhythm section’s relentless push mirrors the exhaustion of carrying someone else’s chaos, while those synth flourishes suggest the tenderness that complicates clean breaks.

Fourth single of 2025, building momentum off support slots with Boy & Bear and Olympia—Harris and Shepherd understand how to channel messy human experience into songs that move bodies while engaging brains.