MINNESOTA SOUND REVIEWS - 5/15/2024
Reviews by: Alexandra Haynes, Writer @xalexonlinex
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @PlaylistTC
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Ber "It's Impressive"
Whimsical piano melodies and rich vocals pair up to deliver a minimalist, romantic sound in “It’s Impressive.” Its stripped back, acoustic vibe was carefully cultivated by recording the track live in Ber’s living room - the accompanying video footage was uploaded to YouTube. “It’s Impressive” was first released as a single, then featured on Ber’s 2024 EP Room for You. This gorgeous song tells a story of an emotionally involved situationship, conveying the complicated beauty in caring for someone without commitments and how painful romance can be when undefined. The talented singer-songwriter has successfully captured the feeling of slowly falling for someone you shouldn’t, with lyrics such as: “Crying over curly hair on some head that’s not mine…/I’m not in love, but I do have a lover/And we’re singing the songs that two lovers would sing/We haven’t spoke in a couple days/It’s impressive, the sadness a lover can bring.” This is indie pop at its most emotive and graceful.
B n’ the Spice Cabinet "Green Light"
“Green Light” is B n’ the Spice Cabinet’s most listened song on Spotify; it’s easy to see why. Even still, it deserves more plays. This track is equal parts groovy and jazzy, with twinkling melodies, playful pauses, and smooth sax playing to boot. Bridget Cushman’s lead vocals ooze with soul, dipping into sweet vibrato and showcasing her talent with plenty of satisfying runs. Altogether, the layers of “Green Light” make a warm and complete sound. Immediately a foot-tapper, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who won’t start bobbing and swaying along with this first track on the Casual Living EP. The full band will be playing on May 16th at the Minnesota Music Cafe for music lovers 21-and-up — doors at 6:30pm with a $15 cover.
ROC BARBOZA, REIKI "RUN!"
“RUN!” opens with a statement-making audio sample - “Punks are running wild in the streets” - which breaks down while echoing the word “streets.” This track bursts forward from that statement, building a high-energy and catchy beat which quickly creates tension. A siren sounds before the rap begins, breaking that tension as ROC BARBOZA criticizes 1%ers and the legacy of our capitalistic leaders. This is a genre of punk that I appreciate very much, a variety which infuses contemporary rap flows and alt-rock influences into an undeniably classic punk sound, with punk politics front-and-center. The tempo and messaging in “RUN!”, combined with its cover art, reminded me of Grandson’s work, although REIKI and ROC BARBOZA’s collaboration here is grittier. “RUN!” is both a protest song and a banger, with both artists’ complimenting each others’ energy perfectly on the track. REIKI’s verse comes in hard, showcasing his range and capacity for a more hardcore sound versus the lighter, danceable sounds from his equally cool and vibey R’n’B solo pieces. ROC BARBOZA is surely showing us what he does best on “RUN!” - his brand of high production, grungy, punk rock/rap combination.
Ahem "Leap Year"
Ahem’s “Leap Year” exhibits awesome songwriting skill, being sonically gentle, but still carrying a ton of substance. Ahem take turns to highlight all “Leap Year’s” glorious pieces - a catchy chorus that has strong lead vocals accompanied by complimentarily soft backup vocals, moments with quieting instruments to pack an additional punch when they return in full force, perfectly timed precussion and grungy electric guitar which has an impressive solo a minute into the track. Ahem self-describe as “powerpop,” and have what it takes to make waves in the indie space. “Leap Year” is a sweet single from the three-piece’s upcoming album, Avoider, which releases tomorrow!
Weekend Picnic "I Will Remain"
Weekend Picnic combine rock’n’roll instrumentation with electronic melodies to create big, multilayered sound. “I Will Remain,” their latest single, features powerful lead vocals, guttral screaming, and inspirational synth swells with choral chants accompanying. These elements get a big boost from Weekend Picnic’s aggressive drumming and funky guitar riffs. This track has a rock anthem feel with a metal twist - it feels uplifting and motivational, and would be right at home on a workout playlist to give you that final push. It’s cinematic in nature, beginning and ending with the same intensity that carries the track.
Nasty Boys "Better Off"
“Better Off” has an intro that fades in with the duo already singing the song’s infectious “da da da, da da da da!” hook together. This makes the listener feel as though the Nasty Boys were already jamming out prior to us noticing them… like we are getting a glimpse into the intimate, behind-the-scenes creation of the recording. With a count-off cry, the song truly kicks into gear, leading with grungy and fuzzed out sounds and ambient layers swirling around their instrumentation. “Better Off” is Minnesotan pop-punk goodness and the duo’s first and only release so far, dropped last month. Its final bridge tones everything down to give the lyrics full impact - “It’s like I opened my heart and got punched in the face/‘Cos you pulled me in close and then pushed me away/Am I better off lonely?/Better off dead?/’Cos I just can’t seem to get your figure out of my head!” Anyone who has coached themselves through a breakup will relate to Nasty Boys’ post-relationship reckoning, which they write “is about some things that may or may not have happened including, but not limited to, some bullshit."