Minneapolis, Minnesota based Despondent just released their debut EP "Other Girls Too" and while my scattered brain is thinking about how they announce themselves on stage "Hi, we're Despondent" while at the same time ruminating on the raw lo-fi sound of the EP's track 1: "Change" and how the simple but sideways lead guitar strikes sound sort of Pixies like (a good thing) and the evocative carnival waltz sound of the last track "Elliot Smith" doesn't sound at all like ES (a good thing) and the punk forward downbeats of "Hunter" that feels like twee pop pushed through a punk grinder (a good thing) and how track 2: "Do You Like It" somehow reminds me of early Sleater Kinney (a good thing) and track 4: "Life is a Nightmare" feels kind of Brit pop / Mazzy Star / and not getting asked to the only high school dance you really wanted to go to.
This was supposed to be a track review and it ended up being more than that and less than an EP review but kind of one at the same time. Stellar stuff for a debut EP and maybe I could quibble with some of the sonic stuff, some songs that might of been better suited with a less shoegaze-esque vocal mix or maybe other songs that feel devoid of mid-range EQ and feel too bottom heavy (a common thing these days). Lovely stuff and despite the sonic things, great musical synergy between the bandmates Nora Schlang (vocals, guitar), Joe Cristo (guitar), Jaxon Vexly (drums) and David Rupel (bass). Great sense of when to be loud, when to be quiet, great vocal aesthetic and sonic countenance / character that I hope is less washed in reverb on future material. Cool.
-Robb Donker Curtius
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THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
https://www.instagram.com/despondent_4real/
https://open.spotify.com/track/2TGtIZYQocsErozAbl7His
https://soundcloud.com/user-920904254/hunter
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9hbrtc8gSWyOqPraR2Ntjw
Despondent is releasing their debut EP "Other Girls Too" - the product of a year of writing, rehearsing and recording. Nora Schlang (vocals, guitar), Joe Cristo (guitar), Jaxon Vexly (drums) and David Rupel (bass) comprise Despondent. "Other Girls Too" represents a splaying of their guts into a thrilling mix of folky-inspired singer-songwriter exposés and snare-drag bubblegum hard-rock.
This was supposed to be a track review and it ended up being more than that and less than an EP review but kind of one at the same time. Stellar stuff for a debut EP and maybe I could quibble with some of the sonic stuff, some songs that might of been better suited with a less shoegaze-esque vocal mix or maybe other songs that feel devoid of mid-range EQ and feel too bottom heavy (a common thing these days). Lovely stuff and despite the sonic things, great musical synergy between the bandmates Nora Schlang (vocals, guitar), Joe Cristo (guitar), Jaxon Vexly (drums) and David Rupel (bass). Great sense of when to be loud, when to be quiet, great vocal aesthetic and sonic countenance / character that I hope is less washed in reverb on future material. Cool.
-Robb Donker Curtius
+ + +
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM - PRESS NOTES:
https://www.instagram.com/despondent_4real/
https://open.spotify.com/track/2TGtIZYQocsErozAbl7His
https://soundcloud.com/user-920904254/hunter
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9hbrtc8gSWyOqPraR2Ntjw
Despondent is releasing their debut EP "Other Girls Too" - the product of a year of writing, rehearsing and recording. Nora Schlang (vocals, guitar), Joe Cristo (guitar), Jaxon Vexly (drums) and David Rupel (bass) comprise Despondent. "Other Girls Too" represents a splaying of their guts into a thrilling mix of folky-inspired singer-songwriter exposés and snare-drag bubblegum hard-rock.
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We get by with a little help from our friends
Despondent, indie rock, lo-fi rock, post punk, blended rock, "Change", debut EP "Other Girls Too", shoegaze, hazey vox, diverse, punk indie, twee pop, Minnesota,
We get by with a little help from our friends
Despondent, indie rock, lo-fi rock, post punk, blended rock, "Change", debut EP "Other Girls Too", shoegaze, hazey vox, diverse, punk indie, twee pop, Minnesota,
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