MINNESOTA SOUND REVIEWS - 6/12/2024
Reviews by: Alexandra Haynes, Writer @xalexonlinex
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner/Editor @PlaylistTC
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Laamar “Home To My Baby"
Laamar is the project of extremely talented multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Geoffrey Lamar Wilson. “Home To My Baby” is a beautiful ode to the sociopolitical realities affecting our world. First released as a single and now on the EP Flowers, released in June 2023, this song begins with a raw steel string slide, which can be heard throughout the rest of the track with its authentic, amped up chord changes. This song has a whimsical, country sound palette, with vocals sung softly with a folksy intonation. Its lyrics in combination with the genre are extremely powerful as Laamar sings about “trying to make ends meet”; having “a little bit of grass in [his] front left pocket, case of beer in the trunk, you need a key to unlock it.” These descriptions of his immediate circumstances and his personal belongings are extremely relatable. He conjures vivid imagery of a traffic stop next, the following lines packing a punch of context - “isn’t it strange how a minute might change your whole life?/One wrong move, and a man might turn out your lights/Flashing lights in the rearview, I’m gettin’ pulled over/I’m so tired of being Black, and lookin’ over my shoulder/I’m just trying to get home in one piece, to my baby tonight.” This is passionate, real commentary on the vicious trend of traffic stops ending with murder in our country, inspired more specifically by the tragic murder of Philando Castle (per James Napoli for MPR.) Laamar invites the listener into his car with him, invites you to feel the weariness that comes from repeated exposure to discrimination, to feel the duality of his fear and longing for the safety, his desire to just get home. Laamar has done something really special here in the way he touches on the disturbing reality of systematic racism while producing a sonically gorgeous piece, given extra spirit and poignancy with its Americana backbone.
Ghosting Merit “Hannah”
Warm tones engage the listener’s ear right away in “Hannah,” the latest single from dream-pop band Ghosting Merit. It has a little bit of everything I like - an indie vocal style, sweet and quirky synth melodies, and distortion along with solid instrumentation. The layers in “Hannah” feel well spaced, roomy in stereo, crafted to gently guide the listener through their astral soundscape. It’s easy to drift deeper into this track with every listen, allowing the grit of its percussion and electric guitar to cut through the lullaby-esque haze as defining lyrics catch our ear, posited towards Ghosting Merit’s muse - “Hannah, I need you to stand up/Take your mask off/Show me who you really are.” I have no doubt that this song live is a pretty little trip. You can catch their good vibes live and in person on June 26th at PILLLAR with Admiral Fox and Dilly Dally Alley.
Underground 'til Sundown “Lithium Life"
“Lithium Life” is from Underground ‘til Sundown’s new album, An Orchestrated Chaos, released in March 2024. Raw audio can be heard at the start of the track, of laughter and beer bottles clanking together - a nice touch for a song about human connection. After an enthusiastic count-off, the song explodes to life in a big bang of frenetic punk rock. This track stays consistently high energy throughout, inviting the listener to engage wholeheartedly. The chorus gets your blood pumping, the vocals are aggressive, and their message from the lyrics is clear: be more present with your loved ones. The story told in “Lithium Life” starts with a familiar vignette, of individuals together, but not truly sharing space, staring at their phones. It ends with a call to action to them - “Unplug your mind … Let our brains recharge … Just look around/At the love we’ve found!” We all need a reminder sometimes to move away from our addictive devices; I respect Underground ‘til Sundown for inviting the listener to join them in “[leaving] behind this lithium life.”
Cheap Bouquet “HEARTPUNCH!"
Cheap Bouquet, a new project, serve pop-punk realness in “HEARTPUNCH!” This is their first release as a trio, although its members are not new to the scene. A band’s first release always feels like a statement of intent and Cheap Bouquet are making their mark with this one. They’re well inspired by some of their favorite artists: Tegan and Sara, Paramore, and Pierce the Veil, with these influences being notably audible in this single. “HEARTPUNCH!” is spunky, loud, and instrumentally solid. It tells a vibrant and gutsy story with the melodies to match, a tale of a messily emotional friendship with lyrics like, “I’ll always have to learn the hard way/That the worst things for me are the most fun" and “It’s not like we’re fucking dating … Even though you’re a dick, I’ll let you stay here/Every time you’re in town.” Even this track’s title hints at the love/hate relationship that is indicated throughout the song. Their debut show is bound to be a ton of fun and is happening on June 27th at Cloudland Theater, 6pm.
The Quivering Palm “Uninspired"
To start this track, a lusciously dark intro drip feeds us The Quivering Palm’s hypnotic beats. As things kick off further in, you can catch a bright synth dancing with heavy instrumentation - the synth trails off to be replaced with sharp beeps popping forward in the mix on “Uninspired’s” chorus. There is something mysterious about the swirls of sound here, which together with the vocal style, powerful percussion, and metalcore guitar snarls create a spooky, genre-bent power-pop ballad. The Quivering Palm is refreshingly unique, with “Uninspired” being an awesome example of the way Kevin “KP” Hahn’s compositions can be melodically psychedelic and take delightfully experimental turns.
Wren Funeral “Fresh Ground"
Opening with warm acoustic guitar, Wren Funeral’s vocals come in with a soft intensity on “Fresh Ground,” first in a strong whisper before melodic singing takes them over. It’s a striking balance, haunting at first before the beauty of the song’s message dominates - “Understand we are both going to die/But it doesn’t have to be tonight/And it doesn’t have to be at the same time.” This track poetically describes the simultaneous fragility and beauty of the human experience. Terrifically raw and deeply personal, “Fresh Ground” will be relatable to any listener who has allowed their mind to drift a little too close to thoughts of their mortality and the unknown. I find this particular expression (or exorcism) of these ideas simply gorgeous.
