MINNESOTA SOUND REVIEWS - 6/11/2025
Reviews by: Alexandra Haynes, Writer @xalexonlinex
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @PlaylistTC
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BlueDriver “Reptilian Eyes”
With a cheeky cover collage that reads Music is Dead and BlueDriver killed it, BlueDriver’s EP of the same name features this song, “Reptilian Eyes,” as track three of five. It’s spunky, fresh, and danceable, featuring guitar tones that take turns being gritty, then bursting forward with sing-songy ringing for short solos that diversify their chunky sound. Distortion laden and altogether playful, BlueDriver lean into the artpunk vibe, with vocals unafraid to lean into intentional enunciations that bring something theatrical to the mix. Both their sonic and visual aesthetic keep it real with bright punk-rock styling. This released in April 2025.
Taylor Robert “Brighter Day”
“Brighter Day” also released in April 2025, with the ten track album of the same name. It has as an easy, mellow funk to it, setting the tone immediately as it rolls gentle positivity over you with lyrics that remind you a “Brighter Day” will always be ahead. The story is about being humbled by life’s ups and downs, but holding onto the truth that this world is better with you in it and participating, because, like Taylor Robert, you “still have love in [your] heart” and “a fire still [burning] inside [your] soul.” Robert’s vocals come in spirited, showing off his range and leaning into his bluesier palette. With an optimistically languid pace, a tambourine shakes an accented percussive beat atop gentle drumming, inviting you to step into the rhythms. I knew there was something Church-like afoot with this combo of musical features, from that tambourine to the choral backing vocals on the song’s most hopeful lyrics… so I wasn’t surprised to learn that Robert was born to “a long line of preachers.” The spirit leaks into his work here.
The Power of the Puss “GFDD”
“GFDD” is whimsical and charming, with a beautiful string section soaring up into the spaces left between acoustic plucking and layers of rooted melodies. Gentle and accented vocals lean into the band’s pure folksiness, raw as they sing their poeticisms, “I wish I had swallowed you whole / Keep you inside, right next to my soul …” The returning refrain of, “Go fast / Go high,” is so catchy, and something clicks inside me as I listen and sing along. The ambience resonates with me and calms me down inexplicably, even as its lyrics, bit by bit, explore increasing romantic doubt and vulnerability (“You always sleep so easy / While I’m deep in thought.”) Gorgeous and soothing in its authenticity, The Power of the Puss hit a chord with me as all of this song’s pieces melt together and its pure expression settles comfortably in my chest. This track was released as a B-Side to “Glitch” in March 2024, seemingly to drop as part of a larger, upcoming project - hopefully an EP, soon? - called the p.o.p.
Future Babel "The Sky Is Falling"
Future Babel is unafraid to lean into multiple streams of influence to craft their own brand of noisy, rap-fueled, sci-fi tunes. Reverberating synth tones mingle in with more traditional production and vocal effects add a layer of dark fantasy to Future Babel’s hip-hop flows. “The Sky Is Falling,” from the EP Cyber Sunday, released in March 2025, feels like a little bit of everything was woven into its tapestry, purposefully disorientating (in a way things would be if the world was indeed collapsing - which, hello!) while still holding onto a consistent structure to lean your hungry ear against. Cutting in and out of itself and exploding occasionally into organized chaos, this track is experimental for sure, but still grounded in serving something distinctly melodic and thought provoking. Off-kilter twinkles, distorted yelling, and tunneling oscillations are always welcome here, and Future Babel knows how to use them.
MVRROW "Wicked Ways"
Metal fans, you’ll want to hear this ASAP. Clean and traditionally trained vocals fly powerfully from the get on “Wicked Ways” as MVRROW lean into a side of gothic metal that, quite frankly, I’m not sure I get enough of in my musical diet. With a beefy foundation of sound, the insanely talented band and that soaring, bold singing get matched later to an incredibly satisfying release of brutal vocals and rapid drumming that leads to the song’s crescendo and sudden drop off. “Wicked Ways” is cinematic, totally, in-fact, wicked, and absolutely complete. Every piece of this track is carefully, intimately timed, with MVRROW operating as a well-oiled musical machine. Its lyrics are suitably dark, a revenge fantasy being dreamed up before the listener. This song was released on the album Fever Dream in October 2023.
Turn Turn Turn "Hungry Ghosts"
There are many endearing elements to “Hungry Ghosts” - I hear many Latin-inspired auxiliary percussion elements, which leave no empty spaces behind on the track. A hip-shaking, foot tapping pace invites a delicate step-a-long. The backing vocals and variety of instruments at play, subtly but constantly involved, make this song incredibly warm and full. When things do quiet down and reintroduce slowly, the give and take is well worth it and makes for an exciting return to form in the song’s conclusion. Turn Turn Turn have such a classic sound, with a 60s-era spirit here as they delightfully lean into psych-rock persuasions. This magical song is the band’s latest single and such a cool direction for the project that we have glimpsed within them many times before — it dropped in February, 2025.
