MINNESOTA SOUND REVIEWS - 3/12/2025
Reviews by: Alexandra Haynes, Writer @xalexonlinex
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @PlaylistTC
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*Splash!* "when the well runs dry"
Simultaneously dark and whimsical, folksy and mellow, “When the Well Runs Dry” features a stunning vocal duet which propels the song’s narrative. Snazzy instrumentals behind execute smooth, saloon-rock melodies, leaving room to linger on guitar distortions, clackety percussion fills, and the swell of the vocalist’s sweet harmonies. A gorgeous horn section adds some jazzy movement. *Splash!* have it all with this track: spacious composition, seductive grooves, and a beautiful warning of a story (“...I know that things look bleak / But you know I’ve gotta try / Or where we gonna be / When the well runs dry?”) It was released on Breaking the Dam in October 2024.
Amateur Hour "leech lake"
Amateur Hour’s “leech lake,” from the album Do Better (released in October 2024) is rowdy emo which kicks things off with a cacophony of sound. They explode into brighter, mathier riffs, but fall frequently throughout into progressively grungier spirals. The band means business, hitting every note with passion and diving into more intricate composition fearlessly. “leech lake” will sit well on the ears of fans of classic emo and math rock alike, where both angles feel sufficiently explored and mash together beautifully. The vocals here are equally skilled AND powerful.
Fend "Michigan Beer"
You might want to say that the song “Michigan Beer” (from the album Disc, released in September 2024) is prettier than its namesake, but you might only be able to say that if you’ve never had a beer entwined with a singular moment in time that captured your fullest attention - a beer glistening with condensation, half-neglected in the sun underneath a vibrant conversation on a sunset bathed patio. Sentimental vocals lean into the melodic, breathy variety of indie rock music as Fend weaves together a charming tale of hope. “Michigan Beer” is relatable and raw (“I hope the good times keep on finding me / There is no need to feel sad / I've got a job in the city that does that,”) while leaving me with the sweet certainty that everything will be alright in the end.
Malamiko "trinity"
Malamiko’s brand of emogaze washes billowing waves of sound over the listener’s ear in “trinity.” A playfully looping, meaty bassline underscores its sparkling riffs which come out drenched in distortion. There is a rewarding spaciness created that feels playful and fresh in the genre. As dreamy as the accompanying album’s title suggests (all pleasant dreams, released in March 2024,) this song has a lucid, hazy quality, bringing the listener into a nest of transcendental sound as its vocals delicately lead, but stay shrouded by the mist.
The Makeouts "In the Blue Light"
From the album Beware the Flowers (released in September 2024,) “In the Blue Light” takes a stripped back approach to rock’n’roll, where one guitar and lead vocals together make a lovely impact all by themselves. This tender love song reframes the moment where we might catch a lover bathed in the sunset as seeing them glowing by a blue light instead, a contemporary take on those intimate moments we share - I picture the beauty of being human together with my partner in front of inhuman screens. The Makeouts lean into their earthy vocals, raw style, and folksy nature, and its simplicity makes this song special. It’s intimate, heartfelt, and warm. (Editor’s note: I included “Beware the Flowers” on our playlist since “In the Blue Light” was removed from Spotify by the artist. Listen to “In the Blue Light” on bandcamp.)
Charlie Doesn't Surf "Terrified"
An existential breakdown reborn as indie rock, “Terrified” by Charlie Doesn’t Surf, from the album UTAH (June 2024) straddles mixed genre boundaries, going wherever it pleases in a totally fluid and organic way. The shouts are satisfying and spunky, Each part of the instrumentals taking their turn to come in, break, and strike extra accents creates a ton of momentum for those outbursts (“I’m paranoid! I’m unemployed! / “Nothing is real! / Nothing is free!”) “Terrified” is compositionally fun, while still being a serious and compelling emoesque track.
