Sleigh
Bells’ latest album, Bitter Rivals,
opens with the lyrics, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
After listening to this 30 minute slice of unique noise pop I’ve come to the
conclusion Alexis Krauss is wrong. It is the most uninspired of times. For
Sleigh Bells at least.
Bursting
on to the scene with their self-titled EP they gained notable praise from
Pitchfork, The Guardian and The New York Times. Using this momentum from the
end of 2009, Sleigh Bells catapulted in to 2010 with their aptly named debut LP
Treats. It would be 2 years till we
saw the next LP. 2012’s Reign of Terror
was worth the wait though, a gloriously heavy dedication to all things good
about the 80s. It’s mix of heavy shredding guitars, RnB vocals and
hip-hop/electro nods blended to offer us an album of balance. For every guitar
heavy song like Crush there was a
delicate pop princess like You Lost Me
to sink in to bliss with.
It’s
over a year later and Sleigh Bells are back with their third album in as many
years. What is abundantly clear is that while Sleigh Bells found their sound on
Reign of Terror with Bitter Rivals they haven’t chosen to
build on it. Not one iota. Where RoT
ironically strengthened Sleigh Bells, this latest album is ultimately let down
by a lack of adventure. Don’t worry though, we know all about adventure. Now
let us set sail and review the tracks!
After
opening with some punchy acoustic guitar and barking, current single Bitter Rivals explodes in to the usual
choppy guitar and Krauss’ rap vocals. We are then subjected to a subdued yet
catchy chorus (“You are my bitter rival, but I need you for survival”). Very
Sleigh Bells. However, it’s also not very inspiring. Tracks Sugarcane and Minnie pick up the pace and while they are not different,
they are enjoyable. These two tracks definitely wouldn’t have been missed on RoT as bonus tracks. Sing Like a Wire and Young Legends are the albums doughy,
bloating centre. The former capturing a cartoony hip-hop presence, while the
latter seemingly suitable for Katy Perry or Jessie J to gain chart success
with. Along with the opening track Bitter
Rivals these are the albums let down.
From
here on out however the album begins (half way through the album?) to pay off. Tiger Kit is another slice of Sleigh
Bells noise pie with a delicious Derek Miller guitar solo to chew on. You Don’t Get Me Twice, which arguably
should have been their first single, illustrates the bands ability to combine
catchy grooves of heavy guitar with Krauss’ gentle vocals. I approve. To Hell With You is a surprisingly
guitar gentle song, replacing the electric noise with heavy drums and whistling
that sounds like Mariah Carey hitting those high notes. Next up is 24. No, not that Jack Bauer guy! Instead
what we have here is something that sounds ridiculously similar to all manner
of the slower songs on RoT. Again, I
approve. Final track, Love Sick, is a generous mix of their heavy influences
with Krauss’ gentle musings (“There’s a hole in my chest, where my heart used
to be”).
The
production of this record is in no way lazy. With all the layering of guitars,
school-yard clicking/clapping and RnB influenced vocals, Miller has produced
another well-polished collection of Sleigh Bell jingles. What is lazy though is
their lack of exploration in their music. It’s almost as if they’re just happy
to sit on what they already have and hey, if you’re a fan of that (like I
sometimes am) then you’ll enjoy this. I just personally think they owe you, and
themselves, more.
Score
6/10
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