carroll - needs

Carroll

Needs
self-released; 2013

4.0 out of 5

Carroll is a four-piece group hailing from Minneapolis, MN who create jangly-shoegaze pop the could bring up comparisons to bands like Deerhunter or Lotus Plaza. Their debut EP Needs is a finely crafted and produced affair that does a great job combining elements that a lot of fans of indie rock will be sure to appreciate. The band worked with Lance Conrad (hats off to Conrad for engineering such a good sounding piece of work) and that is apparent when you press play. The recordings sound exceptional. The balance of instrumentation is clear and seems to refrain itself from going overboard.

The first song and highlight entitled “Lead Balloon” is an upbeat pop gem that could easily be on normal rotation on Sirius radio’s indie station. The song is irresistibly catchy and I was really impressed by the way all the elements fit together. The guitars, synths, drums, and bass all work so well together on this song. It is evident that the band has a knack for knowing when to restrain playing for the benefit of the songs. The vocal melody is infectious as background reverb-laden vocals harmonize and delayed guitars are brought into the foreground. The last minute of the song has multiple guitar parts whirling around as the rhythm section provides a nice backbone to rest upon. The song “Billionaire” contains an electric drumbeat, reverse guitars and a welcome slower bpm before they pick up the pace with “Halloween Head” and closer  “Out Here.” This is an impressive, well-done EP by a band who knows how to play into their strengths. Keep your attention on Carroll because they have a formula that could easily earn them a spot as one of indie rocks top contenders  

Become a fan

official website