Have you ever felt trapped as a passenger in a car out of control? Stuck, the Chicago post-punk band composed of Greg Obis (vocals, guitar), David Algrim (bass), and Tim Green (drums, keyboards), knows this feeling well. This nightmare, this ride with a malicious stranger at the wheel, is directly inspired by the lyrics of "gg," the final track on their album Optimizer, their second release on Exploding in Sound and their third album overall. This feeling of powerlessness in the face of a machine hurtling toward danger permeates the entire album. Optimizer bears direct witness to the ravages of a declining society, where any attempt at self-improvement only intensifies the downward spiral. As with every Stuck album, this central theme is found in all aspects, from the artwork to the music. The cover of Optimizer, designed as always by Green, depicts a classical statue trapped in a buffering hell, while the album title below follows a descending trajectory. Obis's lyrics reflect this same futility, taking stock not only of the illusory patterns around him, but also of the loss of motivation to persist in one's convictions. Moving away from political lyrics toward more directly social subjects, Obis sees the world as a massive commercial gym crowded with indebted and desperate consumers, who only take their eyes off the mirror to listen to the latest pitch from the latest digital scammer promising a better life at a reasonable price. Obis does not spare himself either. Written just after the band's tour for the 2023 album Freak Frequency, the album also addresses the personal cost of dedicating one's life to music as the music industry collapses around you.