Deep Dive: Letting Up Despite Great Faults – Gleam

We have a soft spot for Austin, Texas outfit Letting Up Despite Great Faults, thanks in large part to their fusion of dreampop with a more metronomic, New Order referencing sound. With the re-release on their debut self-titled album on the horizon, we caught up with Mike from the band to do a Deep Dive on featured track Gleam.  

Genesis of the song and lyrics

This year marks the 15th anniversary of our debut album. We wanted to make a special extended edition and add songs we never got to release. Gleam was the first song I thought of. I wrote this when I was really young, and it has this spirit of innocence I forgot I had. I can hear my fears in the song, but also my youthful brazenness of invincibility. A sort of coming of age, but hoping someone will hold my hand along the way.

Instrumentation and recording

I recorded this in my rundown apartment in Silverlake, CA probably in 2008. I definitely recorded the vocals in a closet and on Ableton Live 6 (it’s on version 12 now lol).

Making the video for Gleam

Evelyn Williams, the Cinematographer, was actually my neighbor for a while. I saw a short film she and Paige Glover did together and thought their ethos would be perfect for the video. Our first two videos we did with director Christopher Ewing (Our Younger Noise, Teenage Tide) embodied all those emotions we have when we’re in our youth and I thought Paige and Evelyn could give us their take on it, especially because they are currently the same age I was when I wrote the song. Paige came up with everything and I just let them go with it because I knew I could trust them, and I wanted everyone to see their vision.

Where does Gleam fit within your wider body of work?

Some people have asked me why I didn’t put this on the album originally. I had a lot of insecurities about it, namely it being too upbeat and me not being confident in my vocals. I think you can hear some elements that appear in our other songs…jangly guitars, high basslines…melancholy lyrics over a dancey beat…

What is the band up to in the coming months?

The full release of the 15th anniversary edition of the self-titled album releases March 4 (includes vinyl). We just finished mixing a new album with Jay Som so hopefully that comes out sooner than later! We will also be touring the U.S. in July.

The extended, 15^th anniversary edition of Letting Up Despite Great Faults is now up for pre-order on Bandcamp in digital and clear Coke bottle vinyl editions. Check out the group’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram socials for news on pre-save options plus venue details of upcoming live appearances.

Header photo by Elysia Perkins