Seriously, is Brooklyn the new Seattle? I mean, grunge is dead and gone, but what is it about the New York borough that breeds diverse, eclectic indie bands with unassuming ease. So many of these bands provide thirsty listeners with heightened awareness through potent, fuzzy guitar-heavy jams. Yet so many of these bands quickly fade into obscurity, for any number of reasons.
Count Grooms in the former. On Rejoicer, their debut, this three-piece manage to pay homage to the fuzzy guitar greats before them, such as Sonic Youth. It’s the manner in which they find a delicate balance between swaying rhythms and amp-blowing scuzz action a la the mighty Sonic Youth, which will likely keep them in the game for awhile.
“Fag Feels Good,” is a glaring example of this balance. What might be mistaken as unfocused meandering is truly a lesson in sonic experimentation. This fourth and standout track rises and falls between a gentle, rippling melody, while never exercising any restraint. Each member of Grooms gets their opportunity to shine on Rejoicer, but the rhythm section truly standouts on the better tracks on Rejoicer.
Though as mentioned, Grooms rarely exercise any restraint on Rejoicer, between the intense, building crescendos and tempo-changes, you can’t help but wonder if the recording studio held Grooms back. Their sound crashes like a thousand tsunamis, an event probably better taken in with other patrons in a sweaty club. This is by no means a reason to fault Rejoicer, but simply a reason to heighten anticipation for the future of this band.
By Joshua Kloke
[Rating: 3.5/5]
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