With a name like Crying, you might expect some shoegazing, second-wave midwestern emo inspired sadness to burst forth from your speakers as you hit play on Get Olde. Instead, chiptune bleeps blend seamlessly with crashing cymbals and driving indie-rock riffs on this spectacularly catchy EP.
On Get Olde, the importance of late-night runs to the bodega for snack food take up just as much lyrical focus as the crippling self-doubt of growing old. Elaiza Santos has the kind of soothing coo of a voice that makes you believe she might just be singing to only you – all while taking seemingly mundane details and, through clever turns of phrase, making them poetic. “This band is boring me” she sighs on “Bodega Run”, before offering a run across the street to share some YooHoo. On “Vacation”, bouncy power-chords and synths underscore a sense of friendship-related ennui “Realizing the M doesn’t come on the weekends, and weak friends – all the ones who hesitate to answer you unless it’s convenient. [So] Bon voyage, forget that old world”.
Closer “ES”, Elaiza highlights the kind of casual hypocrisy and backhanded verbal insults that permeate our archetype obsessed culture: “Every goddamn family reunion, someone’s got somethin’ to say. ‘How didja become this way?’ As if I’ve made a mistake – meanwhile, they’ve slaughtered the cake”. It’s the last lyric on the album, and a line that echoes in one’s mind as the album comes to close with a furious blast of up-beat melodic indie rock. What makes Get Olde work so well – lyrically – is the manner in which Elaiza never over-explains or over-complicates. The closing line of “ES” needs no addendum, as it speaks volumes in its blunt simplicity. And it doesn’t hurt that they’re sang over incredibly enjoyable pop tunes perfectly backed by Ryan Galloway (Guitar & Game Boy) and Nick Corbo (Drums) .
Get Olde mashes up chiptune and honest to goodness indie-rock in a way that has been sorely lacking these days – Anamanaguchi‘s albums are much more electro-oriented than in their live, full-band setting, and Math The Band‘s aggressive attack utilizes programmed drums on record. That’s not a criticism on those bands – I love them to death – but it’s great to hear live-band power-pop colliding with infectious chip-music as it does on Get Olde.
UPDATE: The album – bundled with a bonus EP Second Wind – has been made available to stream and purchase on Run For Cover’s bandcamp page.
★★★★
October 24, 2013
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By Dan Gorman