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Dec 06, 2023 By Caleb Campbell

Under the moniker Bory, Portland singer/songwriter Brendan Ramirez crafts infectious power pop and indie rock replete with tightly wound hooks and jangly guitars. Ramirez first debuted in 2021 with his EP, Sidelined, and later this week he’s set to share his first full-length album, Who’s A Good Boy. The record is also recorded and produced with Ramirez’s friend and collaborator Mo Troper. Ahead of the album’s release, today Ramirez has shared an early listen to one of the album highlights, “End of the World,” premiering with Under the Radar.

Bory’s previous two singles, “We Both Won” and “Five-Course Meal,” both hit on a reliable formula一tight, capsule-sized power pop that is equally fuzzy, jangly, and addictive. Those singles found Ramirez fitting well into the same niche as bands like Diners, Liquid Mike, or Mo Troper himself. In contrast, “End of the World” takes on a softer touch, encircling Ramirez in fingerpicked acoustic guitars and steady drumming as he sings in a sweet, confessional croon.

However, despite the track’s sparse presentation, Ramirez is still a devoted student of pop songwriting. He knows his way around an earworm chord progression or a sharp melody, but with “End of the World” he lets the hooks fade into the background, instead settling into the track’s warm acoustic tones, bolstered by Troper’s lush production. Meanwhile, in this confessional setting, Ramirez’s vocals and melodies take on a new magnetism, soaking the track in an indulgent, dreamy glow.

Ramirez says of the song, “This song is kind of about avoiding conflict or being non-confrontational, but to a silly degree. Like, ‘Oh, maybe the world will end before I have to confront this person. How convenient would that be?’ Also, I just have to say that Mo was working some magic in the studio that day when he was recording me. I really love how he made those acoustic guitars sound. He’s a magician.”

Check out the song below. Bory’s debut LP, Who’s A Good Boy, is out December 8th via Earth Libraries.