EP – Holly Wholesome and the Slut Machine
Release date 14th March 2025
Review by Linda McDermott
Andrea de Varona and Josh Ford aka Fake Dad are a Los Angeles based, NYC bred indie rock meets dream pop duo. Fake Dad create an intoxicating and colourful musical fusion complete with catchy pop-laden hooks, crunchy, 90s inspired guitars, grooving bass lines, and buoyant synths. With a distinctive production sound and a signature vocal delivery, the two write and record expansive musical moments from their apartment.
Tracks
Crybaby
Odyssey to Venice
WANTO
So Simple!
Little Fake (feat Alice Ivy)
ON/OFF
Machinery
This seven track collection includes musical narratives where the band have created characters that live in their made up world of angry, burger-flipping clowns, star-crossed knights, and masked sleep paralysis demons. Throughout the album, Andrea and Josh realised that they were using the fiction to unpack very real aspects of their lived experiences, including their identities and sexualities as romantic partners in a straight-passing relationship.
In the past year, Fake Dad have been fixated on posers. Specifically, rock music posers, there’s just something fascinating about music made by an artist who’s pretending to be someone they’re not. In the different sub-genres of rock especially, “fake” can be a dirty word. But as Andrea and Josh dug into some of their favourite artists from before their time, it became clear that playing a character is pretty deeply entwined with the legacy of rock music.
PJ Harvey was a skinny, 5’4 woman who bellowed about being 50 feet tall and “man-sized.” Tina Turner was a backing singer turned untouchable superstar who reinvented herself through decades of hard-fought battles, and David Bowie was pretending to be a space alien. These are people who found more than just creative expression in their art, they found reinvention. Within the false image, they were able to find something true about themselves.
With a name that offers little clue as to their genre, Fake Dad delivers a seven-track EP that oozes summer energy, effortlessly singable, undeniably infectious, and packed with melodies that belong on every road trip playlist. But don’t be fooled by the breezy, pop-tinged sound; the lyrics aren’t quite as carefree as might be suggested, Fake Dad have created characters that live in their made-up world of angry, burger-flipping clowns, star-crossed knights, and masked sleep paralysis demons!!
From the first track, ‘Crybaby’ (which was released as a single seven months ago), it’s clear that Andrea and Josh have a knack for crafting instantly memorable hooks. There’s a distinct ‘90s feel throughout the EP, blending synths with a driving drum-and-bass backbone that gives the guitars extra punch. It’s a mix that feels fresh, while tapping into the golden era of alternative pop, they manage to keep things modern and dynamic.
What ties this EP together is its cohesion, none of the songs overshadow the others. The songs complement each other perfectly, making it an EP best enjoyed from start to finish. I loved ‘Crybaby’ it gets you hooked in from the start and is perfect for dancing around with hairbrush in hand. ‘So Simple’ has a different airy feel to it but is still filled with that nostalgic sound that makes impulsively want to dance to.
A standout element is the Andrea’s versatility; her voice adapts effortlessly to each song, shifting in tone and intensity to match the mood set by the music.
Whether you’re looking for a soundtrack to long summer drives with the windows down or simply a set of songs that stick with you long after they’ve finished playing, ‘Holly Wholesome and the Slut Machine’ delivers. This is a band that knows exactly how to balance nostalgia with something fresh, and if this EP is anything to go by, they’re one to watch.
Videos
Crybaby
ON/OFF
American Tour Dates:
March 10th – 15 SXSW – Austin, TX
March 25th – Hi-Dive – Denver, CO
March 26th – Kilby Court – Salt Lake City, UT
March 27th – Treefort – Boise, ID
March 29th – Mississippi Studios – Portland, OR
March 30th – Sunset Tavern – Seattle, WA
March 31st – The Pearl – Vancouver, BC
April 2nd – Brick and Mortar – San Francisco, CA
April 3rd – The Echo – Los Angeles, CA
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