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THE DOLLYROTS - Daydream Explosion LP
This came along last Spring and I meant to get to it but the chaos of family situations took precedence so I wasn't able
to until just recently. The new album from the Dollyrots throws down some melodically poppy punk rock with hooks so catchy
they almost stick to you like rubber cement. Carrying on their penchant for pop hooks almost lifted from oldies radio mixed
with crunchy guitar and tight rhythms the band dishes out a mixture of love songs, personal observations, along with some
battle cries turned anthems along the way. Whether singing about communications problems or life in general Kelly, Luis and
company blast out the sonic gates with a fury that moves briskly yet lets you know what's up along the way as well as hinting
at some modern production touches. In other words, it's everything fans expect from a Dollyrots album and a little bit more.
Enjoyed streaming this but I need to get around to getting a hard copy of this when I get the chance. (BOONE)
(Wicked Cool Records/Ume)
GAUCHE - Conspiracy Theories download single
This track caught my ear a while back but I thought it would be on the album so I held off. On this track Gauche delivers
an almost sickeningly catchy snotty piece of indie rock built on crude rhythms, clean guitar lines and a heavy sax presence.
All of this as a backdrop to create a sonic middle finger to the assholes spreading conspiracy theories such as Pizzagate
and whatever word vomit Alex Jones is spewing at the moment (both are mentioned in the first verse). The song emerges overall
as angry, raw, and fun as hell with a vibe that almost forces you to dance while going for the jugular. I thought this was
going to be on their album but it ends up on its own. It may have been a while since this came out but it's still extremely
valid (unfortunately) so check it out in a stream or download. (BOONE)
(Merge Records)
VIOLET AND THE UNDERCURRENTS - The Captain LP
This came out around the same time that my sister's organ transplant happened so, in the midst of everything, I didn't
really have time to really listen until after the review window had closed. On their latest, Violet and the Undercurrents
deliver simmering melodic art rock with elements of folk and soul popping in here and there. Semi laid back arrangements
driven by a mix of acoustic and electric guitars push these songs into a commentary that seems to blend personal themes with
hints of the sociopolitical. It's a journey that seems to glide over the listener while sometimes taking them into thorny
territory along the way, all to a sound that takes the familiar and adds its own spin to the proceedings. Overall, this is
a great album for rainy day listening or for a long drive that has the possibility to make one think a little deeper along
the way. (BOONE)
(thecaptainalbum.com)
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