MINNESOTA SOUND REVIEWS - 4/10/2024
Reviews by: Alexandra Haynes, Writer @xalexonlinex
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @PlaylistTC
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Crush Card "Spile"
New music fans, this one is for you. This fresh new release from last month just so happens to be Crush Card’s debut track. It’s well-produced, and a clear statement of their intent as a band. Groovy riffs dominate the introduction, grabbing the listener right away and taking them along for the rockin’ ride. Its upbeat tune with poignant lyrics reminds me of late summer evenings, contemplating life’s choices. Crush Card have nailed Midwestern yearning while sailing their sweet philosophy along a sea of awesome instrumentation. I wonder whether their next track will sound like “Spile,” or if we are going to hear something totally different. Either way, I’m very excited for future releases and think that Crush Card are one to watch.
Ray Gun Youth "Orbital"
Ray Gun Youth’s “Orbital,” from the 2023 album Craigslist Champions, is best described as grunge. Their high energy tempos are intriguingly muted, creating a warm, faraway playground for them to play within. They begin with the fuzz and whimsy of shoegaze, but their undeniable rock’n’roll instrumentation and hefty bassline take over to cement a punk rock sound. Mischievously twisting melodies hint at a psychedelic influence. We reach a sonic clearing at two minutes, twenty seconds in, in which Ray Gun Youth switch up the vibe and allow experimental tones to transition the ear of the listener to their noisy and deeply satisfying conclusion. They have a cheeky social media presence, and for those that want to catch them live, shows are announced on Instagram. Their next gig is an all ages show on April 18th at Cloudland Theatre, $12.
Big Into "The Jupiter Song"
Big Into showcase a folk punk persuasion in this track. “The Jupiter Song,” released as a single in March, is playful, existential, and sweet. Their sentimental, poetic reflection on mortality and the circle of life is charming and relatable. The listener is challenged to consider the spirit of all living beings (“Who says plants don’t feel nothing?/Who says I don’t feel?”) without turning the song preachy, as Big Into compare the scenario in which Jupiter may someday collide with Earth with the fact that we “don’t think twice about killing that bug.” Their statement, “everyone’s gotta eat something sometime” is an invitation to expand their metaphors and consider the last time you sacrificed something, or someone, for your survival… and allow it to simply be the truth of your universe. I absolutely love the layered vocals that kick in on the final bridge to lighten the mood - “when you think of planets, you think of Saturn.” (True… poor Jupiter.) This song is catchy and would make for an awesome sing along in a crowded pit. You have a chance to enjoy their self-described “weirdo indie rock” live and in person on May 3rd for their EP release show at the Duluth Homegrown Music Festival.
88 Diagrams "HITAGI SENJOUGAHARA"
This is a gorgeous instrumental track where digital production is once again proven to be a powerful tool of precision composition. Synthesizer, drumloops, and sick guitar riffs are woven into a chill, scenic composition that has body. Released in March of this year as the 8th track on Waifu Bath Salts 2, 88 Diagrams named this song after a smart-mouthed, tragically inflicted character from 2009 anime, Bakemonogatari - the girl who has no weight. This context allows the track to double as a tribute to interesting fiction. “HITAGI SENJOYGAHARA” is truly very pretty and reminded me of the genre-bent melodies on Daft Punk’s 2013 Random Access Memories.
MVRROW "Creature"
The heaviest entry of the week, MVRROW’s “Creature” is a great example of how good it sounds when metal has a fantasy, storytelling flavor… which it so often does. “Creature” opens with aggressive, brutal vocals and growls, but explodes into the melodic, theatrical singing for the remainder of the track. MVRROW make big sound, but maintain a pensive, contemplative mood despite the weight of their percussion and metal guitar snarls. The fifth track on the six-track EP, FEVER DREAM, “Creature” allows MVRROW to show off their signature sound, which has sweet, atmospheric underpinnings. Its lyrics take us on a meditative journey through the night - “As I gaze for clarity/Breathe the forest in for inner peace/I take a look at my reflection and see/I see the creature that I've become.”
K.Raydio "Hidden Figures"
This track features haunting layers of sound built up into experimental, genre-bent R’n’B that laments on life’s woes. K.Raydio’s vocals are warm and smooth, winding around clever beats that create a really unique sound. K.Raydio is undeniably an extremely talented vocalist, with the conscious ebb and flow of the volume and strength of her voice adding amazing texture to the piece. The clicks, drum work, growls of stringed instruments and infectious lead keyboard melody also showcase her compositional prowess and excellent production skill. These well-woven pieces appropriately make the listener feel trepidation as K.Raydio soulfully serenades us her anxieties.. “What do you do now?/When it feels like every step is the beginning of the wrong path…” “Hidden Figures” was released on the 2023 album, Metamorphosis, which is a beautiful listen from start to finish.
