Rapidfire Reviews – 7/13
Posted: by Henderson
Attic Abasement – Dream News
I was originally drawn to Attic Abasement for their name. It’s genius. A basement rock band from Attica NY literally could not do better. But then they backed it up with some really cool music. This album is an emotional and sporadic indie jog. Never quite high energy but not a stroll, the record combines Dylan folk style vocals with The Smashing Pumpkins’ esque 90’s rock band instrumentals. There’s something throwback and garage-y about their sound, in a good way. These tracks feed you a full helping of tones. The album is out now on Father/Daughter and you can pick it up on their Bandcamp.
7/10
Trustfund – We have always lived in The Harolds
Trustfund stunned me with the British indie pop catchiness of their last 2 albums. They stunned me again when they surprisingly dropped We have always lived in The Harolds on our heads. In traditional Trustfund fashion, the vocals drift in and out of a falsetto that is incredibly well done. However there is a different energy to this release than their past work. Prior releases have exploded with joy, while these tracks have a more textured and sullen feel. As the lyrics state in the first track ‘It feels different now. I don’t know how.’. The band also experiments with pop song structures and tonal produced vocals on tracks like ‘Would That Be An Adventure’, which sounds like something you’d hear on Magical Mystery Tour if it came out in 2016. Yet even as the production and layering increases, the tracks maintain their lofi feel and bedroom demo honesty. A rare collection of elements that works well and makes me excited for the future of the band. The album is out now on their Bandcamp and with tapes from It Takes Time for US listeners.
8.5/10
Soccer Mommy – for young hearts
This is a super chill, bedroom lofi indie pop type of record. Yeah those are somewhat common in the age of home recording, but this one from NY’s Soccer Mommy has the shine of something special and memorable like a gold nugget pulled from the internet river. It hums and slurs along under incredible vocals that wisp by. Despite the sparse production, the tracks have a weight to them. The opening track ‘Henry’ is a truly calming listen that entices you and drags you further in. This will be some incredible music for a nice stroll or a quiet drive. The album is FREE on Bandcamp and tapes are available from Orchid Tapes.
