SOFT NO

On the searing Take Your Word, Philadelphia alternative shoegaze band Soft No delivers a heavy dose of aggression. The track opens with a riff that draws up nostalgia for 90’s alternative classics, then giving way to dark and potent guitars that propel forward singer Allie Lannutti’s own anger as she belts out her own frustrations she’s carried for years. “‘Take Your Word’ is an amalgamation of (mostly) dudes with fragile egos I’ve encountered over the years who I chose to listen to against my better judgment and not stand up for myself.” Lanutti says. Her words play deftly against the music, laying back in perfect moments to let the sheer force of their guitars pierce through to the surface while she sings You’re uninvited / you won’t let it die. 

There is no shortcut to the magic of a band of life-long musicians with a shared history, no easy way to duplicate those creative years spent absorbing and sweating out the changing tides of a rich local music scene. Soft No, the band's eponymous debut EP, is a record that brims with the life and talent of Scott Signorino, Allie Lannutti, Austin Lotz, Jon Martello, and Kate Lowe; five artists who spent a significant part of their lives sharing bills, sharing bands, sharing high school classes with one another’s siblings, and living across from each other as children. Such threads weave on and on and similarly, Soft No’s songwriting process is complex and interwoven, with many of its members playing instruments that were previously unfamiliar to them and writing together in ways that allow each of them an avenue for expression previously unexplored. 

Soft No first began to form in February of 2023 with a remote collaboration between Signorino and Lotz, who would go on to write the guitar riffs and music for all five of the tracks on the EP. They then brought in Lannutti to compose the lyrics, vocal melodies, and bass parts, to which Jon Martello added drums and Lowe keyboard and synth textures. The record is a fusion of the five musicians, their stories and lives folding into one another seamlessly.

Soft No's debut EP is testament to the bond between members Scott Signorino, Allie Lannutti, Austin Lotz, Jon Martello, and Kate Lowe. Tracks like “Take Your Word" and “Descender” resonate with raw emotion and searing guitar riffs, reflecting influences from hardcore, alternative, emo, metal, and shoegaze. Produced by Mark Watter and engineered by Richie Devon at Philadelphia’s Headroom Studios, the EP captures the band's diverse sound and unwavering dedication. With personal narratives of grief and frustration, Soft No transcends genre boundaries while honoring the profound impact of their musical journey.