Alien Book Club's "Desecration of the Whispering Salamander" Review
Review by: Sara Liebl, Writer @larasiebl
Edited by: Eric Martin, Writer/Assistant Editor @eamartin95
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“When I watched them perform, I was transported to different places and different times.” -Chelsea Campbell
If Alien Book Club’s newest release, “Desecration of the Whispering Salamander”, is any indication of the caliber of music that will be coming out of the Twin Cities’ music scene in 2022, we’re in for a great year. Made up of seven members - Anita Velveeta, Andrea Bauer, Thomas Coyle, Ben O'Malley, Amber DeBellis, Allison Payonk, and Dante Leyva - Alien Book Club is loud, proud, and ready to take the world by storm.
Desecration of the Whispering Salamander is Alien Book Club’s third album, released two years after their self-titled EP. While at times some band members were concerned the album would never come to fruition, they put their time, hearts, and souls into creating an album that is representative of themselves and their band without compromising on their vision. Taking their time carefully crafting the album seems to have worked out in their favor. It was certainly worth the wait for the polished, yet raw, music they have chosen to share with their audience.
Desecration of the Whispering Salamander proves to be just as eclectic as its name. Guitarist and vocalist, Anita, describes their work as “musical ADHD”, while bassist and vocalist, Andrea, chooses the words “chaotic and fun.” These descriptions are spot on, as Alien Book Club manages to weave aspects of numerous genres - ska, punk, and jazz to name only a few - seamlessly into each song to create an exciting and entertaining listening experience that will keep you on your toes. The band also drew inspiration from doowop, thrash metal, hyperpop, and psychedelic noise rock, in addition to many others, when crafting the songs for their album. By taking inspiration from such a wide range of genres, no two songs sound the same, a rarity within the music industry these days. The band’s ability to combine genres in such a varied and aurally pleasing manner proves that the members of Alien Book Club may just be some of the most creative songwriters in the cities at the present moment.
A personal favorite, “I Can Hear Your TV,” opens with a soothing saxophone choir over light percussion, almost reminiscent of moments in Bon Iver’s album, 22, a million. Shortly after, the band transitions into a relaxed ska-esque groove that reappears throughout, laying the foundation for the remainder of the song and providing a sense of consistency while they play around with different genres. For Anita, this song is “emotionally cathartic” as it seems to address the harsh reality of desiring a mutually loving and committed relationship, only to end up dealing with disappointment and heartbreak. Anita’s vocals especially shine in this song as she effortlessly shows off the pure tone of her high register. Just as it seems the song is going to end with a descent into chaos, a direct foil to the ethereal opening, the groove comes back in for one final reprise to wrap everything together.
A favorite of the band’s, “John Carpenter’s They Live,” is a six-minute horror-inspired song. To quote bassist and vocalist Andrea, “Nothing is more ABC than multi-genre songs about horror movies.” One of the darker songs on the album, “They Live” addresses the theme of revolution within a horror context while incorporating aspects of punk and metal. The song contains powerful and notable lyrics such as “They live we sleep, perpetuating the American dream/They live we sleep, stop the signal, cut the feed.” Saxophonist Dante Leyva considers “John Carpenter’s They Live” to be one of his favorite songs to play live, adding that it is “such a blast to watch the audience get into it and then get blindsided by all the change-ups.”
When asked what the album means personally to Alien Book Club’s members, it becomes clear just how important and meaningful the album is to each member. “It’s the best representation of our sound up to this point,” says drummer Thomas, “I’m glad we have a recording that captures the energy of this particular incarnation of the band.” For guitarist Amber, the album is “the definition of making music that you want to hear,” in addition to being “in part a way to personally forward the representation of transwomen in the arts.” Anita chimes in that the album is the “realization of a vision.”
When it comes to Desecration of the Whispering Salamander, you are guaranteed to find something you like. From the harmonica-driven, country-inspired moments in “Caesar's and Karkov” to the powerful punk vibes featuring heavy drums and vocal screams in “Cath Palug,” Alien Book Club transcends the concept of genre, leaving their listeners with a little taste of everything and wanting more.
You can catch Alien Book Club playing around the cities, building an impressive resume playing on bills with well-known bands such as Early Eyes, Gully Boys, and VIAL.
Listen to Alien Book Club’s Desecration of the Whispering Salamander wherever you stream your music.
