Local Review: Don’t Apologize — Expectations

Don’t Apologize
Expectations
We’re Not Sorry Records
Street: 05.26.2025
Don’t Apologize = Ethel Cain + Garbage

If I’m being honest… I think this EP sounds like Garbage. The vocals, the lyrics, the whole vibe — it’s all Garbage. But that’s one of the things I love about it. I love Garbage. Garbage gave us bangers like “#1 Crush,” “Stupid Girl” and “Only Happy When it Rains.” You know the band Garbage, headed by Shirley Manson? You didn’t think I meant something else, did you?

Expectations by Don’t Apologize packs an indie alt-rock punch that I can’t get enough of. It’s reminiscent of the riot grrrl music of the ‘90s, featuring deeply emotional and moody vocals, similar to those of Ethel Cain, and dreamy guitar riffs that will melt you into a delicious, rocky soup.

The beginning of the EP is something you’d expect from any indie rock band. While it’s certainly not bad, “Ethereal” did not grab my attention straight away. It opens with a rhythmic bass followed by the sonorous vocals of Chloé-Corinne Halls. In the song, Halls invites the listener to “find the ethereal.” Throughout the track, a melancholic yet hopeful vision is manifested, encouraging the listener to “go and get through the worst that’s inside of you.” Don’t let the bastards get you down, if you will. And guitarist Zach Aldous absolutely shreds.

The EP ventures into softer territory with “Ghosts.” Have you ever had that one thing or that one person that you just can’t get off your mind? No matter how hard you try, you’re left tossing and turning at night; lost in unwanted thoughts. “Ghosts” describes this feeling with the use of a “haunting” metaphor, “ghosts in my home.” It’s not my favorite track on the EP, but it fits in nicely. Both the vocals and the instrumental are great, but I’m not fully captivated by Don’t Apologize yet.

However, with track number three, they got me. I am sold. I found “Worth It” to be the highlight of the EP. The song questions whether a relationship is truly worth it if it’s just going to end: “if our fate was to fade, how’d we get here in the first place?” There is a stellar vibe switch in the middle of the song, which keeps the listener on the edge of their seat. It speeds the song up and injects a much-needed hardcore quality into the EP; it truly is great. If there is one thing you can count on in each of these songs, it’s that the guitar is going to go crazy. In the latter half of “Worth It,” Aldous serves absolutely sexy guitar riffs that make the listener want to thrash. Major rock concert vibes!

“American Dream” is another standout track on the EP. It’s a song that rings especially relevant in today’s society. It opens and ends with the sound of devastating news reports listeners are all too familiar with. Powerful and inspiring lyrics describe a country that has gone emotionally bankrupt. You can feel how sick “Don’t Apologize” is of seeing tragedy after tragedy in America and how discouraging it is to “watch the world lose common ground.” However, it’s not all doom and gloom; there is a hopeful tone to the song that encourages listeners to hold onto optimism and “rip the seeds they’ve sewn up from the ground, and burn it down,” and assures that “we’ll get back up.”

The EP closes on an emotional and vulnerable note, with the title track “Expectations.” There is a sense of yearning to connect with someone who misunderstands you. The track spells out the pain and anguish of not living up to somebody’s expectations. The feeling of this song reminds me of Paramore, specifically of songs like “Crave” and “All I Wanted.”

Expectations by Don’t Apologize is a satisfying collection of songs that is sure to please the ear of any indie rock, riot grrrl or alt-rock fan. The band seems to be just getting started, and I can’t wait to see what they put out next. —Devin Oldroyd

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