It was the late ’90s and I was in a high school band at the time. I lived in a suburb of Chicago called Crystal Lake and one of our first concerts was a battle of the bands in a nearby city called Elgin. I got a little nostalgic when I read the band The Subterraneans was also in a battle of the bands in Elgin more than twenty years later. I can’t help but wonder if it was put on by the same group of people.
Suffice it to say I surmise the band crushed it if it sounds anything like their six song self-titled EP The Subterraneans. The band mentions, “The six-song project was written over the past two years, and reflects on the challenges and paradoxes of self-transformation as one comes of age in the modern world.” The band is certainly around the right age to make this type of album and their concerns don’t seem all that much different than what I was worrying about at their age. They start with a highlight entitled “Part One.” This song has a mix of ’70s classic rock and ’90s alternative. I really liked the groove on this song and the vocalist does a good job creating memorable melodies. This felt like a strong start to me because the song felt accessible and infectious. “Lies” is a little darker and they sound good with this mood as well. The song moves along with a hypnotic type of melody and the band Mazzy Star came to mind as the song progressed. “Phases” was more like an interlude with phased out guitar, shimmering cymbals and an overall psychedelic quality. “Better Friends” is a highlight. This song soars and is also quite catchy. The additional synths help with the song and add an additional element which adds to the dynamics. I also thought the lyrics were very coming of age. The vocalist sings “My friends always change, one day you wake up and they're better, I stay the same, only the doctor is writing me letters, and I'm nervous you'll forget about me, cause friends always change, you can't keep an eye on me forever.” Last up is the ’70s influenced “Feeling Great” which is another solid song. The band is young but already has a good sound and hopefully this is just the beginning for them. Recommended.
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