Woozy – ‘Blistered’ Review
Posted: by Sean Gonzalez
The best thing about a band with the name like Woozy is that their music can make you feel the same way. Throughout their entire forty minute debut the band shift between a plethora of styles, never allowing the listener to think they know what is coming next. Blistered is a formidable and powerful release for a first time group in comparison to other veteran bands within the indie genre. Their craft is defined by their incredible use of dynamics and alternative song structures.
Glam rock, folk and punk are all ways I would define the opening track (and first single) ‘Venom.’ There are about four separate sonic shifts in the soundscape of just this one song. Crushing distorted guitars weave their way between shining cleans and winding drum patterns. Every section has it’s own feel and sense of anxiety embedded within. One can feel all these feelings being displayed in what came to be their second single ‘Gilding The Lilly.’ The dual crossing dual vocals of Kara Stafford and John St. Cyr are worthy of praise here, showcasing how to be incredibly delicate their vocals are when they clash between lines, such as “I want you to know/when California drifts into the sea/you’ll always be mine/that’s where you’ll find me.” It’s the way Cyr’s lines are providing a bit of comfort while Stafford’s lyrics want everything but that that really make it more desperate and beautiful. The entire song is backlit by pensive guitars never reaching full loudness, keeping calm as the vocalists have their time to reflect.
Introspective, pessimistic and vibrant, Blistering has all the offerings to keep listeners on their toes. ‘Painted White’ is a frustrated tale of finding out that “success is a lie” with fuzzy guitars painting the way through the first half of the track. Their ability to halt the entire progression without so much as an awkward pause is remarkable, smoothly transitioning into a vivid display of guitar coos and swells. If Woozy can almost pause a track, they can bring one to a different level of life just as easily, see the track ‘Christmas Club’ for a perfect example of this. After a rather soft opening the track shapes into a bombastic barrage of missiles taking the shape of distorted guitar chords and an urgent Cyr crying out; taking the last line “it’s not your fault anyway” and blowing the song up with four final destructive hits.
‘Another Way Out’ is a track that grabbed my heart immediately. It’s a vulnerable tune with less complexity in the structure and dynamics but is a fucking track composed to let you just sit there and think. It’s a bit lengthy and dramatic, but Here we have three musicians discussing a dark subject matter and finding their own dark passion to give it meaning. This all leads into an ominous ending tune ‘Fade Like A Sigh,’ which is what the band decides to do, collectively creeping through the track with xylophones and other instruments playing a haunting motif after a near whispered intro.
The best thing about Woozy‘s debut LP is their ability to blend a variety of labels into one colorful mirage. Blistering is the kind of album that really surprises you with something new every time you listen to it. It can be an exhausting process, with songs being a bit more random sounding (obviously) and hard to name off the top of your head but focus through every shift and embrace Woozy.
Score: 8.25/10
Pick up the LP on bandcamp
https://woozywoozywoozy.bandcamp.com/album/blistered
