Published on May 1, 2018
Though Brooklyn's BIRDS began as a solo project for guitarist/singer Duane Lauginiger, these days it's a full band whose fun, upbeat brand of psych-rock meets pop music has had plenty of fans flocking towards them (sorry, I couldn't resist). At just eight songs, it's a quick listen, but a glorious one where dual gender vocals and influences from the '60s and '70s aid in the good times that occasionally bring to mind The Jesus & Mary Chain, Swervedriver, My Bloody Valentine, or even Superchunk.
'See It All” jumps right into the band's trippy, hazy swirling melody where retro-rock and busy instrumentation collide with '90s alt-rock à la early Smashing Pumpkins. “Scatter” follows and is a more spacey affair with a driving tempo and crashing percussion, fueling a more furious tune. Meanwhile, “Get Away” is on the jangly side of the equation and is a lo-fi rocker, resembling Sebadoh on steroids.
At “I Can't Wait” is when the songs get a bit longer, and with that come more textures and ideas to their creative mix. The cautious, moody, post-punk influence of “Falling” is a great example of this, as are the lovely dual gender vocal melodies of “Home Home” (with bassist/singer Jessica Reynoza), which is also both lush and powerful. The final two tracks, “Everyday” and “Slow Time,” have the band flexing their experimental muscles with rich, unpredictable psych-rock that's dreamy, spacey, and danceable.
There's just so much to enjoy here: endless hooks, a willingness to explore different ideas, riffs you won't soon forget, and really strong, well thought out songwriting. For fans of colored wax, the vinyl version is a bright splatter version with a download code, and for those looking for the cassette option, that's available, too, also with a download code.