The Afterglows, 'Sea of Hate'

Radiator Hospital's Sam Cook-Parrott and The Goodbye Party's Michael Cantor make music together that conveys a long sigh — that self-aware moment just after the daydream's ended and reality sets back in. As a vocal duo, they are The Afterglows, and their second record, The Sound of The Afterglows, arrives suddenly today (2-22-2022) — a wink to Twosday's palindrome date.

"Sea of Hate" strums an acoustic guitar softly, as Cook-Parrott, in his charmingly nasal croon, sings of romantic desire with vivid, yet familiar imagery. But in a sly twist that often accompanies their songwriting, Cantor joins the chorus in an Everly Brothers-style harmony to declare, "I'm burnin' for your love / You're drownin' in my sea of hate." You can almost hear their grin as the sea swells with Rhodes piano, hand claps and a reverb-heavy guitar solo, undercutting that misty-eyed sweetness with a slight sneer.

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