Words by Tom Gallo, Look at my Records

After incubating for quite some time, the first Edna songs are finally seeing the light of day. The Brooklyn-based project from the former Terrible Terrible frontman Mike Tarnofsky has simmered and stewed over the last year, making an impression on the lucky few that caught their sporadic live performances. These special performances all occurred at the intimate Bed-Stuy basement venue known as the Tar Heel Lounge and ended with Tarnofsky drenched after pouring all of his blood and sweat into a high-energy, emotionally charged set. Now, the first two Edna songs, “Surrender” and “Dead Languages” are here for your ears exclusively through Left Bank. 

Engineered by Justin Mayfield of Lake Nipmuc Studios and mastered by Mark Bucci, the two tracks skillfully capture Tarnofsky’s fervent, heart-on-your-sleeve lyrical stylings, while showcasing his sonic diversity and songwriting range. “Dead Languages,” in particular, captures the band’s frenetic energy, offering a fleeting glimpse of Edna in the flesh. The song moves at break-neck speed, weaving swiftly through thumping drums and intricate guitar work. 

On the flip side, “Surrender” still sees Tarnofsky laying it all to bare, painting a picture of a spiraling romance in the sweltering New York summer, but he pumps the brakes on the pace. Set against a smooth backdrop of dense instrumentation, the song features sweet, pleasing melodies that’ll evoke fond memories of Grizzly Bear, and uses vivid imagery to paint a portrait of love lost. 

Taken together, both songs are a glimpse into what Edna is capable of doing. 

“Surrender” and “Dead Languages” are the first in a series of digital seven-inch singles that Edna plans to release in 2020 via the newly established Favorite Friend Records. You can stream both songs via Soundcloud. Celebrate this release with them on Wednesday at Baby’s All Right with Drug Couple and Cory Sterling.

Photo credit Ada Chen