There is a certain brand of resilience that only comes from decades of honing one's craft, and Michael Ulliman is currently masterminding its latest evolution. Based out of the lush surroundings of Atlanta, Georgia, Ulliman has spent years distilling a lifetime of musical exploration into his project, Everyday Dolores. His latest offering, ‘Wagmi’, is more than just a single; it is a cinematic testament to the idea of pushing through the grey to find the gold.
The track’s title carries a weight that Ulliman didn't take lightly. “I debated long and hard about adding a question mark to the end of the title—like ‘WAGMI?’—but it had to be just ‘WAGMI’ or we might as well pack it up and find a bunker!” he explains. That lack of a question mark is palpable in the music. Written, performed, and polished entirely by Ulliman at Left of Center Music, the song is a masterclass in balance. It manages to bridge the gap between the technical intricacy of 80s progressive rock and the raw, underground grit of 90s alternative, yet it feels entirely vital for the 2020s.
The name Everyday Dolores itself is a clever play on the human condition. While it serves as a nod to the band’s mid-90s South Florida roots with jazz-trained collaborators Anthony Perez and Miguel Rivero, the linguistic depth is where the soul resides. In Spanish, "Dolores" can signify "pains" or "money" depending on the inflection. By blending this with the English “Everyday”, Ulliman highlights the universal struggle of modern life—the daily grind and the persistent aches we all carry.
Musically, ‘Wagmi’ is a towering achievement. It is a mid-tempo anthem that feels built for the biggest stages imaginable. A dense wall of guitars meets atmospheric synths, all driven forward by a relentless percussion section that gives the track a sense of inevitable momentum.
The vocals are a standout, offering a gritty, weathered performance that eventually breaks into a hook so soaring it feels like a collective rallying cry. It’s an emotionally grounded piece of alternative rock that ignores the cynics and focuses on the climb. In a world full of uncertainty, Everyday Dolores has delivered a definitive declaration: despite the pressure, we are going to make it.
You can hear the new single above via Spotify, and for more, be sure to catch up with Everyday Dolores on Facebook and Instagram.
