Orlando grungers 'yeah, sure' close out 2021 with a new EP and more music on the way

“Unspoken band rule is to always outdo ourselves — no pressure.” It’s half past eight on a Thursday evening, and Orlando’s DIY psych-grungers 'yeah, sure' fill the Zoom screen. Lifelong friends, creative partners, and a pair of actual siblings, vocalist Alex and drummer Hondu Knight, alongside guitarists Chris Kutsor and Jerry Pierce are about to start band practice. The quartet just released their debut EP peel, with a full-length in their sights.

Pierce sets the scene: “We’re in our practice space, starting at the very beginning with ideas, trying to work those ideas into better ideas,”

Alex Knight cheekily chimes in, “We’re rock & fucking roll, that’s why we start at 8:30 p.m.”

Even after a thirty-minute conversation with the band it’s clear that yeah, sure is wholeheartedly, a band of brothers. The Knights along with Kutsor were born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama; the Knights are sons of a Pakistani immigrant, in a deep South town where rockets and destitution sit side-by-side. Friday night punk shows were their solace, making music an indispensable survival tactic. As they grew older, one by one, they each made the great migration to Central Florida for something new.

Musically, yeah, sure finds inspiration in melding contradictions. As if by magnetic pull, they fuse ’90s distortion with 60s dreaminess to create a sonic surrealism that reels listeners in.

“We all bring to the table what we love,” says Pierce. “We try to make hook-y stuff heavy and heavy stuff hook-y.”

“We all relish in the amount of control that affords us to be able to personally sculpt every single piece we are putting out,” says Pierce.

“We produce it, direct it, write it, edit it … the thing I’m most proud of with this band is that our fingerprints are on everything.” agrees Alex Knight. “Someone should really be paying us!”

peel reflects this shared process. Five tracks total, their latest single "Swamp Tooth" takes on a deeply personal topic for the band. “That one is unfortunately inspired by me being a recovering alcoholic,” reveals Hondu, “I hit a really shitty point in my life and just kinda spiraled out of control. At that point I didn't understand myself, I didn't realize all my addictive personalities, instead of facing those things I looked towards alcohol. And Alex, watching that experience from the outside with some of the horror stories I told him, wrote this.”

“We have a unique brotherly relationship, explains Alex. "We always got along well and looked out for each other. We feel safe exploring uncomfortable things. I couldn't have gone there with somebody else.”

The track is gaining traction among listeners. Indeed, it would seem the deeper we go, the more universal we are. On the heels of the release of peel, yeah, sure has only just begun the process of writing a full-length. But they are entering 2022 feeling eager, hungry, and happy to be writing and playing music they love, even if it's past some of their bedtimes by the time our interview concludes.

“We’re all blood,” affirms Pierce.

“We did that ceremony where we cut our fingers, like witches in the woods,” says Alex with a wry smile.

Yeah, sure.



–
Stay on top of Central Florida news and views with our weekly newsletters, and consider supporting this free publication. Our small but mighty team is working tirelessly to bring you Central Florida news, and every little bit helps.