By It’s our Bandcamp Picks or the Week, featuring the shiny college rock of Lunar Vacation’s EVERYTHING MATTERS, EVERYTHING’S FIRE and the dreamy neo-psych of Seafoam Walls’ STANDING TOO CLOSE TO THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM!
Lunar Vacation – EVERYTHING MATTERS, EVERYTHING’S FIRE
Genre: Alternative, College Rock
Favorite Tracks: “Tom,” “Erase All The B’s,” “Sick”
You can’t escape the ’90s—it’s a gaping black hole clad in flannel and CLUELESS references. Still, you can make your perpetual journey to the heart of its pulsing nostalgia more enjoyable if you’re semi-discerning as to what kind of ’90s rehashes you give time/energy. Atlanta’s Lunar Vacation are just such a refined blast of throwback rock as they unfurl a veritable playbook with the recently released EVERYTHING MATTERS, EVERYTHING’S FIRE.
They’ve clearly got the collective range, nailing everything from a grittier Letters to Cleo (“Sick”) to a dreamier Counting Crows (“Just for Today”). And don’t get me started on “Erase All The B’s,” which brings to mind Sixpence None the Richer and The Chicks for a satisfying curveball. But it’s more than just understanding key sounds and influences; the LP nails something abstract that we nip and bite at endlessly with this ‘90s obsession. “Tom” and “Bitter” equally have the weight and maturity to balance and blend dream pop and shoegaze into these massively affective ballads. And “Better Luck” could just be more diet Sheryl Crow, but it exudes a deliberateness and intent that will move you in a very real way. It’s ultimately about honoring something vital and solid over shiny ephemera.
EVERYTHING doesn’t seek to blindly cash in on our retro-mania, but reminds us of why we seek comfort in old loves/heartaches and how certain sounds and concepts will always hold intrinsic value. That, and this shared introspection and rehashing we’ve engaged in is actually a way to delve deeper into the purity of art and celebrate with more intent and feeling. EVERYTHING is nostalgia without the depressive inferences and/or unintended pessimism. And if nothing else, the record is just generally beautiful and appealing in the very best kinds of way. “Set the Stage,” for instance, is the soaring, dazzling soundtrack to a million romances and growth spurts right there from the pit. And “Fantasy” takes those same vibes to the emotional, sonic, and spiritual stratosphere.
There’s an unassuming vein of warmth to these cuts (and, really, the entire LP), and that uncomplicated connection isn’t just great for a trip down memory lane, but displays the band’s heart and intentions. It’s not an intellectual pursuit, or even one about any social commentary—it’s the unassuming love of how these sounds move us and connect the artist and listener across time and context for something truly universal. So, come to Lunar Vacation if you want a sampler platter of the shiniest, most poignant college rock since 1998. But don’t be surprised if you find a record even more impassioned, artistically curious, and generally even more shimmery than some of your old faves. Listen to it over on Bandcamp. [Chris Coplan]
Seafoam Walls – STANDING TOO CLOSE TO THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM
Genre: Rock, Dream Pop
Favorite Tracks: “Stretch Marks,” “Rapids,” “Hurricane Humble”
It’s an exciting time for multifaceted, Miami-based quartet Seafoam Walls, and it shows in their newest album, STANDING TOO CLOSE TO THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM. The sophomore record follows their 2021 debut, which introduced the world to their seamless convergence of jazz, classic rock, shoegaze, hip hop, math rock, and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. The bountiful melting pot they’ve self-dubbed as “Carribean jazzgaze” is gorgeous, where these colliding musical worlds beautifully culminate into relaxed, swirling journeys channeling the likes of Spirit of the Beehive and Unknown Mortal Orchestra. The group’s latest is like a colorful patchwork, hinted at by the cover, where they confidently tap into each of these genres.
The record opens with the two-part “Humanitarian”—first driven by mantra-like marching percussion, then continuing as a sunny, shining indie pop tune not dissimilar from the uplifting songs on Sweet Trip’s YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHY. “Stretch Marks” enters more abrasive territory with buttery riffs drenched in distortion, while “Rapids” will have you floating in the clouds with its airy guitar melodies and submerged phased electronics. With singer Jayan Bertrand’s choric voice laid atop the levitating instrumental, it will keep you all the more aloft. The centerpiece is “Hurricane Humble,” conjuring the playful and pleasant neo-psych of Good Sad Happy Bad that keeps one centered. “Cabin Fever” veers into cathartic territory with crashing drum loops, while the aptly-titled “Sad Bop” brings the record into brooding, melancholic terrain.
There’s a song for every mood on STANDING TOO CLOSE TO THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM, which stems from the group effortlessly borrowing from many musical conventions and making them their own. It’s no wonder that they even grabbed the attention of Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore, who released their debut on his label—it speaks volumes when such an indie great champions an up-and-coming, enigmatic group. Despite some likenesses being drawn, on the whole, Seafoam Walls are of their own and deserve a listen. Check out their new album on streaming, and it will be up on their Bandcamp soon! [Dom Lepore]
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