New York Noise with a Heart: Been Stellar’s “Adored”
Photo: @6anti and @nazkawakami on Instagram.
New York-based indie-rock band Been Stellar is back with another new single, “Adored”! Arriving just about a month after their last single, “Breakaway,” “Adored” truly shows the personal and vulnerable direction that their next album will embrace. Where “Breakaway” leaned into a more raw intensity, “Adored” shows a more nuanced and intimate side of the band. It’s a fresh glimpse into the emotional landscape that their next album will likely explore!
Been Stellar emerged from the city’s music scene through DIY shows and intimate grassroots venues. Their sound is a refreshing blend of post-punk, shoegaze, and ’90s rock influence, crafting songs that are both engaging and emotionally raw.
After releasing their first full-length album, Scream From New York, NY, they were quickly admired for capturing the tension and texture of modern urban life. This album explored themes of disconnection and emotional apathy, blending jagged guitars with captivating vocals from frontman Sam Slocum. Scream From New York, NY asserted their place as torchbearers of a new wave of NYC guitar bands, unafraid to blend ordinary life experiences with an experimental sound.
“Adored” continues this narrative, but through a shift in tone and texture. Ambient guitar lines introduce the song, starting with a calm and almost meditative feel. Flowing into a more fierce sound in the second verse, intensity builds through guitar and drum hooks that are both striking but controlled, pushing them just beyond their typical post-punk framework. The verses explore vulnerability but build into a chorus that asserts presence, offering both intimacy and determination. This almost quiet introspection in the verse gives way to a fuller chorus, just making the hook hit even harder. The bridge introduces new guitar melodies and a rhythmic lift that builds the track through its cathartic closing.
Lyrically, “Adored” is steeped in vulnerability, with themes of longing and emotional exposure found in each verse. However, it never feels fragile or broken; instead, there’s a quiet strength in how these confessions are delivered and echo the push and pull of modern relationships.
Having toured alongside bands such as Fontaines D.C., The 1975, and Inhaler, and appeared on the bills of major music festivals including SXSW and Reading & Leeds, Been Stellar has proven that they can be a major force in both underground and indie scenes, but also on mainstream stages. With “Adored,” they not only reaffirm their place in the indie-rock landscape but also expand upon this and embrace a more sophisticated direction.
“Adored” is a confident step forward for the band, marrying their intensity with a more polished, emotionally vulnerable aesthetic. This track doesn’t just continue their story, but reframes it to offer a more mature and compelling shift, alluding to their next musical chapter!
