Vague Pains

About

Fusing elements of shoegaze, classic indie and new wave into an irresistible kaleidoscopic sound, Vague Pains is the project of singer/songwriter Zachary Lemon. Working out of his basement studio in Michigan, Zachary and his remote collaborators pay tribute to the past while pushing the genre into fresh new territory. The group’s high energy sound has a timeless appeal, with bittersweet melodies clashing against walls of distortion and dissonance, all held together by Zachary’s evocative vocal performance. Released in 2021, the self titled debut album by Vague Pains was described as “A sheer force of nature” (Beach Sloth), “Stunning” (Just Fame), and an “Experience that is both unique and compelling” (Jukebox Time). 2023’s follow up, “Fragile Rush,” was a much more personal album. Aside from Nik returning for drums, Zachary worked solo to create a hypnotic world of reverb, synth and distortion, with the results described as “majestic shoe-gaze” (Coyote Music) and “absolutely beautiful” (Ghost Echoes). 2025 saw the release of, "Memory," completing a three album arc with an eclectic blast of post punk energy, pushing farther into experimentation while calling back to themes from the previous works. Incorporating audio from friends, family, radio waves and old films, and held together by Nik’s dynamic drumming, Zachary's latest batch of songs has hailed as “genuinely awe-inspiring” (Be About It Press), and “a shot of pure shoegaze brilliance” (Broken 8 Records).

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