By WVAU Staff
Young the Giant — “Mind Over Matter” (Fueled By Ramen)
California rock band Young the Giant manages to keep things fresh in their sophomore album “Mind Over Matter.” As with their debut album, lead singer Sameer Gadhia’s vocals bring something different to each song found on “Mind Over Matter.” From the the album’s louder, catchier “Anagram” and “It’s About Time” to the smaller, quieter “Crystallized”, Gadhia’s vocals lead the album, at times overpowering the instruments that surround it. The best use of Gadhia’s voice is without a doubt “Firelight,” which is able to use Gadhia’s vocals in harmony with the instruments that surround it. Despite its less-than-stellar pieces, such as the somewhat corny “In My Home,” “Mind Over Matter” is proof that incredibly successful debut albums don’t always lead to terrible sophomore albums.
-Tori Tropiano
RIYL: The Black Keys, Foster the People, Of Mice and Men, Grouplove
Recommend tracks: 2, 5,7,12,11
Also see The Eagle’s Kara Avancena’s review Young the Giant’s show at The Fillmore Silver Spring on Feb. 23
Atomic Bride — “Electric Order” (Self-released)
Reminiscent of the aura of “Reflektor” but transcending in the Rocky Horror Picture Show universe, Electric Order manages to be confusing and appealing in the same riff. Originating in Seattle and dominated by a guitar god, Atomic Bride teleports you into a dimension unknown to mankind with lo-fi grit and old-school punk vocals. The sound is a little heavy, but uses upbeat synth to balance the overall sound out, making it easily accessible to listeners and giving out psychedelic vibes for a slightly sinister trip. Some sort of lovechild of indie-psych, the choices in vocalization really set the theme of each individual song rather than a cohesive whole. This album is what angsty Martian teens listen to, I’m positive.
-Barbara Martinez
RIYL: Ex-cult, Wax Idols, Hunx & His Punx
Recommended tracks: 1-4
Listen to Martinez’s show Juiceless Orange on Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m.
together PANGEA — “Badillac” (Harvest)
Not wanting to go down as just another so-Cal garage punk group, together PANGEA tack the familiar trappings of the genre and marry it with the muscle and mania of grunge, creating a sonic beast on a mission to drink, party and feel like crap about it the next morning. Whereas FIDLAR shamelessly celebrated their (probably) tongue in cheek excess for fun’s sake, together PANGEA treats rock and roll as the solution and cause of all of life’s problems; the first three tracks are fun, but they mask the underlying feelings of social anxiety and sexual frustration that the group tries to exercise through loud guitars. This should suck, and some of the lyrics are clearly ripped from the diary pages/first drafts, but the music is so enthralling it really doesn’t matter. The band shows some versatility too, throwing in some acoustic guitars on the more “melodic” tracks like the harmonica accompanied title track. The second half of the record drags a little bit by virtue of the songs being slower, but once it hits the hypnotic final track, “Badillac” has already revealed itself to be a visceral roller coaster ride, not unlike “American Hustle.” It may not be deep, and the script/lyrics are sometimes half-baked, but dammit, it just feels so good.
-Michael Lovito
RIYL: FIDLAR, Cheap Time, The Black Lips
Recommended tracks: 1-5, 12
Listen to Lovito’s show Truth, Justice, and the American Way on Mondays from 2-3 p.m.
Hurray for the Riff Raff- “Look Out Mama” (Loose Music)
Alynda Lee Segarra and the other members of Hurray for the Riff Raff have accomplished something rare and hugely important with their album “Look Out Mama.” They managed to use an old art form, in all of its original glory, to say something pertinent and stinging about contemporary culture and the challenges of the millennial generation. This Americana folk album essentially took simple, raw and smooth folk off of the shelf, dusted it off, and put it to use telling the story of what Segarra describes as “the disillusionment and the fear that we’re feeling, that we’re trying to be too tough to even recognize or talk about.” This album is socially loaded without waiving a petition in your face; it is the best kind of activism, telling a story of oppression, inequality, and fear, packaged in Segarra’s two degrees from perfect croon. Her voice is strong enough to drive the album, but not so strange that it overwhelms the musicality and simplicity of the rest of the band.
Disclaimer: the album does contain the lyrics “way down by the river” and folk through and through, but is not unsophisticated or unpolished in the least. A wonderful addition to the documentation of our generation in all of its anti-society artistic glory.
-Julia D’Amico
RIYL: Spirit Family Reunion, Dark Dark Dark, Shovels & Rope
Recommended tracks: 3, 8, 11
Listen to D’Amico’s show Synesthesia with co-host Hudson Brown on Thursdays from 7-9 p.m.
Habibi – “Habibi” (Burger)
“Habibi” means “my love” in Arabic, making itself an appropriate name for this group of sweetly innocent surfer girls. Their preferred combination of mid-tempo paces and sugary group harmonies put a pleasant spin on even their most downtrodden lyrics; phrases like “You don’t really want me, but I think you do” could read on paper as sad or desperate, but Habibi have a way of making it sound like they’re having a blast. Unfortunately, their musical aesthetic becomes limiting at times, with some songs sounding interchangeable. It makes you wish they would liven up their tunes more often, as they do on the brisk, confident “I’ve Got The Moves.” Still, Habibi’s debut has more than its fair share of enjoyable, catchy material.
-Cameron Meindl
RIYL: La Luz, Vivian Girls, Shannon and The Clams
Recommended tracks: 1, 2, 5, 8
Listen to Meindl’s show Rhyme & Reason on Mondays from 10 p.m.-12 a.m.
