Cut Worms Releases New Double Single “I’ll Never Make It” b/w “Don’t Fade Out”

With his self-titled album out next month via Jagjaguwar, NYC’s Cut Worms—aka Max Clarke—is back with a pair of singles: “I’ll Never Make It” and “Don’t Fade Out.” Building atop the foundation of lead teaser “Ballad of the Texas King,” Clarke has forged a rock-solid, steadfast architecture of timeless rock ‘n’ roll.

“I’ll Never Make It” is a slow-burn, methodical slice of, as Clarke calls it “pop essentialism.” Pairing elements of doo-wop, mid-century chart-topping folk-rock and contemporary storytelling, the track is tight, unforgettable and sharp. “Say they want a true love / But they don’t / Say they’ll always be there by your side / But they won’t,” Clarke sings.

Both songs lament the losses and romances of humanity. On “Don’t Fade Out,” especially, Clarke examines the joys of a place where he can be free and madly in love. “How can I tell you, how can I express? / How much I love you now, you never could guess / I feel the world is opening up / For nobody but me,” he sings. “Don’t Fade Out” was recorded in Brooklyn with Brian and Michael D’Addario of the Lemon Twigs, and their influence—which includes playing piano and bass, respectively—can be felt throughout the song’s runtime.

Together, the two tracks create a perfect double-single that encapsulates the limitless rock ‘n’ roll potential of Cut Worms. Watch the music video for “I’ll Never Make It” here and the lyric visualizer for “Don’t Fade Out” here.

Read our May profile on Cut Worms here.