"Enjoyable contrasts persist throughout “Compassion Fatigue,” both in its thematic approach and melodic array — from lushly textured intrigue to anthemic rock escalations." -Mike Mineo, Obscure Sounds

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For fans of Quicksand, DIIV, Helmet, My Bloody Valentine, and Failure, comes "Compassion Fatigue", the new single from Palm Trees In Moscow, the Baltimore, MD-based Grungegaze/Alt Rock project of singer/songwriter Chris Frantz.

Lyrically, "Compassion Fatigue" is about riding the razor’s edge between empathy and complete apathy. There are so many things happening in the world to care about and feel strongly about, and the social media algorithm smothers you with these ideas and images every day. It becomes overwhelming to the point that you can become numb and choose not to care about anything for the sake of self-preservation, or at least trick yourself into thinking you don’t care (If I truly didn’t care, I wouldn’t have written this song!). You only have so much energy to exert on things you can’t control.

Musically, "Compassion Fatigue" starts off with a slinky bassline and in-the-pocket drum groove that you would typically find in a golden-era disco track. Don't get too comfortable though, because the song shifts into a heavy-hitting grungy guitar groove juxtaposed with ethereal vocals, followed by a cinematic and epically satisfying wall of sound shoegaze-inspired outro. Kellii Scott, of the highly regarded and influential band Failure, provides drums, and production was handled by studio wiz Jordon Zadorozny (Blinker the Star, Sam Roberts, Chris Cornell).

"Compassion Fatigue" is the first single from Palm Trees In Moscow's upcoming album, "Keep Your Blood”.

You can read the entire issue here, or the review below:

PALM TREES IN MOSCOW -"COMPASSION FATIGUE"
Baltimore, MD, US

"Compassion Fatigue", what a wonderful phrase, and a wonderful single. I’m sure that at some point in our lives, we have all experienced such a thing. We may have never given the feeling a name, or any attention. Compassion is something we should give unrelentingly; but it’s tiresome, no? Sometimes we all must want to crawl up into a high corner, and whistle on our own woes awhile. That’s what Palm Trees In Moscow captures so succinctly in their single, ‘Compassion Fatigue.’ 

An emotion so complicated, so human, and yet so hard to define in words. Better, I think, to define it in song. The single starts with some incredible guitar. Incredible in texture and inform. It wails, it pours like molten iron. It’s indie, that’s for sure. The guitar has a bleeding heart which, when paired with the bass, creates a thick miasma of sound that envelops you. A rose-red mist, lustrous and dark. When the percussion begins, the mist starts to shift. Convection, beats rise, melodiesfall, the cycle perpetuates until a vocal breaks the chain. It’s a sad vocal, and itcalls across the misty room for aid, for love, for feeling. It wants what itcannot have. The high point, the zenith of emotion comes at the chorus (as it should) and sends us reeling, flying away, and yet somehow when the verse begins again, we have not moved an inch. 

‘Compassion Fatigue’ is enthralling, truly. Palm Trees In Moscow have created a space of tenderness within an indie rock landscape saturated with brutalist shapes and sounds. Triumphant. -Plectrum Magazine, 10/2024

"Palm Trees in Moscow has developed a sound that blends a warped, not exactly pop sounding but certainly pop-aware, infectiousness with a squalling, garage-rock meets shoegazing noisescape, one woven from reverb-drenched guitars and thunderous beats, cavernous sonics and howling vocals." -Dave Franklin, The Big Takeover

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"Bringing back more of that dark and brooding alt-rock energy he has been cultivating for himself over the years, 'I Want It Back' sees him return to the scene in stellar form throughout."

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