MINNESOTA SOUND REVIEWS - 4/2/2025
Reviews by: Alexandra Haynes, Writer @xalexonlinex
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @PlaylistTC
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BUCKLS "Therapy"
Catch the “Stop it. Get some help,” soundbite in the middle of this one. “Therapy” is the opening track to BUCKLS’ debut, self-titled album. With a tongue-in-cheek refrain (“There’s nothing wrong with me / I don’t need therapy!”) that sticks in your head, it’s a strong start to the project, making its mark as pop-punk that isn’t afraid to make disaster fun and dabble in satire. As you listen, you may find yourself having flashbacks to a more rebellious phase of life, where resisting self-care and help from others was the coolest and most nonchalant thing you could do. I don’t know about you, but I find solace in dancing with my demons and reflecting on those shadows every once in a while; “Therapy” makes a great soundtrack to those daydreams.
Bunny Blood “The Lake”
Bunny Blood lean into a charmingly eerie, heavier weighted sound in “The Lake,” which was released as a single with Dizzy in January 2025. The vocals, while they have a lightness to them compared to the gritty instrumentals, hold a captivating mournfulness that compliments the energy of the piece totally. The haunting storytelling carries on through distortion-laden choruses, where it feels as though the song goes underwater. A driven tempo is set by spirited, metal-trained drumming, matched throughout by snarling guitar riffs that run from a similar melody to the song’s bassline.
Jillian Rae “Silence”
Jillian Rae has given us a theatrical, anti-capitalist anthem with the song “Silence,” released as a single in May 2024. Part protest and part call to action, Rae sings about how incomprehensible social ills can be, such as racist policing, family separations, and recent losses of abortion rights. She pleads with the listener for us to use our voices, to join the conversation around these issues - “Your silence is deafening.” With a laid-back, funky swing of melodies backing up her thoughts, the lyrics truly shine. The final crescendo of the song begins with a bridge of soundbites, of changemakers and freedom fighters, before Rae reclaims Christian philosophy and turns the track into a progressive sermon complete with her keyboard turning into an electric organ: “I will love … and there’s nothing you can do about it / I’m gonna love my neighbor, my mother, my father, my brother (even though we do not speak.) … Love your neighbor, your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, just love ‘em all.”
Burning Blue Rain "Voyager"
“Voyager,” from the Blue Frame EP (released in January 2025), is a buttery smooth journey, carrying the listener through jazzy, meltaway melodies. The combination of delicate percussion, punctuating riffs that dance effortlessly with whimsical keys, and breathy vocals makes pure elegance. The vibrant riffs that spring forward right at the track’s end, almost soloing as the song fades away, are heavenly – these creeping in and out compliment the next song on the EP, which leads following this trail of sparkling breadcrumbs.
The Federales "Cardboard Cocaine"
Here we have a great example of country music that has its roots firmly planted. With a folksy, big band sound, The Federales dive headfirst into multi-layered composition and bluegrass merriment. Suggesting their ability to “get higher than cardboard cocaine,” the imagery here pairs with the cheekiness of their stringed instruments a-plenty, twanging vocals, playful keyboarding, and bluesy harmonica phrasing. “Cardboard Cocaine” is the band’s latest single, released in January 2025.
Joel Sax "Billions of Stars"
“Billions of Stars” reflects on the state of the world and of humanity, zooming in on that imaginative trance we might find ourselves in when we look up at the night skies. Joel Sax considers a place “somewhere out there” where he might live, an alternate universe where there are “no billionaires, a cozy little spot where everybody cares.” The feeling of longing for a better world is captured by the whimsical spaciousness of the instrumentals, although the depth of humanity required for these dreams is evident in the audible acoustics, a wonderful mix for a contemporary folk song. First published as a single, this track was released on the album of the same name in September 2024.
