Houston’s best-kept secret, The Shrubs, are tearing up their own rulebook with their upcoming single, “Fall Behind.” This isn’t the same trio you thought you knew. This is a band plugged directly into the energy of vintage surf rock, and they’re here to make some damn noise.
For those just tuning in, The Shrubs are that killer trio forged from sibling synergy and a solid friendship. You’ve got the brothers, Josh and Miguel, and then Sophie, who jumped ship from being Miguel’s coworker to becoming the final piece of their musical puzzle. Signed to Blossom Records since 2019, they’ve been bubbling, creating their sound away from the spotlight. “Fall Behind” is the explosive result, a track that Miguel first penned back in their signing year. They’ve been grinding on this thing for years, slicing and dicing different versions until they forged the absolute banger we get to hear now. That’s dedication you can feel in every note.
So, what’s the big shift? The Shrubs have officially traded in their melancholic, slower tempos for a shot of adrenaline. Drawing a direct line from the legends—the raucous energy of The Bambi Molesters and the slick, reverb-drenched sounds of The Ventures—”Fall Behind” is a joyride. But don’t let the upbeat, weaving guitar melodies fool you; this track has teeth. The band smartly points out the brilliant dichotomy at play here: the music is all sun-bleached, coastal asphalt and hot-rod energy, but it’s contrasted against darker, introspective lyrical themes on a breakup. It’s the sound of smiling through the pain, of driving fast to outrun a broken heart.
The magic was captured in their own DIY bunker, the home studio they’ve christened Flowers on the Wall, out in Katy, Texas. This is where the real sorcery happened. Unbound by studio clocks and with the full support of their label, they went full analog warrior on this one.
“Fall Behind” is The Shrubs—Josh, Miguel, and Sophie—planting their flag in the ground and declaring they’re not afraid to evolve, to get loud, and to get a little dirty.