See Gulls Celebrate 'You Can't See Me' EP at King's Barcade

All photos by Justin Weber

Despite a meager selection of recorded tracks, See Gulls has built a rabid local fan base with magnetic live performances and immediately memorable songs. Now fans can take a little bit more of the band with them on the go.

The You Can’t See Me EP sandwiches three newly recorded tracks between the songs everybody knows and loves: “You Can’t See Me” and “Don’t Write Me Love Songs.” This new collection will still leave fans clamoring for more as there’s not a bad moment in any of these 5 tracks.

Recorded or live, See Gulls likes to get to the point. Saturday night at their release party, the stage was adorned with a few hanging eye decorations and there was a small raffle for merchandise, but mostly it was business as usual. Dad Dad opened with unpredictable electric dance rock and a guest appearance from Derek Torres of T0W3RS. SMLH’s feedback heavy shoegaze set the stage for See Gulls.

Lead singer Sarah Fuller commands attention and not just because of the captain’s hat she wore. While her bandmates “ooo” and “woo” behind her, Fuller shouts and bites into lyrics with a sly smile on her face. The songs on You Can’t See Me all touch on breaking up and relationships gone wrong with confidence and humor.

“You Can’t See Me” takes the breakup song cliche of feeling invisible and turns it into a strength. The chorus becomes a sing-a-long with the titular lyrics begging for a mighty shout.

I’m in your bed, I'm in your dreams
You can't see me
Walking past the window glass
Hear my tapping feet
Clicking, clacking, you're all alone
Screaming, ringing, it's not your telephone

On the back wall of the stage at Kings Barcade, the newly released music video for “Long Gone” plays. In it, a breakup devastates Fuller, but she gets her revenge at the end by vomiting down the rotten guy’s back. “Long Gone” saunters in contrast to its upbeat companions. It seems like a moment where Fuller is showing a little vulnerability as if maybe she’s admitting there are moments when romance takes it toll.

“How was I supposed to know you’d leave me here all alone wondering where I went wrong?” she sings in the chorus. Towards the end of the song, Fuller confronts her ex in the grocery store. “I caught eye across the strawberries and I was like, ‘Fuck you’,” she says. The final repetitions of the chorus feel more like Fuller is taunting this man instead of mourning their relationship.

See Gulls ended the night with an all out, turned-up-to-11 cover of the Entertainment Tonight theme song complete with a goofy saxophone solo by a man in sunglasses and a sport coat. The takeaway You Can’t See Me seems to be shooting for is to express yourself however you need, never lose confidence and never stop having fun.

Dad Dad

SMLH