Weird guitar rock with potential for confusion and hits in equal measure.
Listening to a Speedy Ortiz album is always a slightly unnerving experience. On the one hand, the Philadelphia quartet knows how to write a catchy pop tune that stays there – but you get the feeling the band would prefer it if as few people as possible noticed. Nothing is simple or straightforward in the songs, which are dominated by powerful guitars, each instrument moves independently of the others, rhythm and melody fractions play against each other. The guitars wind around each other, build crooked sound towers and bring them down again with a lot of joy.
About 50 of them, played through more than 100 effect pedals and 30 amplifiers, were used on RABBIT RABBIT, this variety of equipment is reflected in the grainy-warm to cutting-brutal sound of the instruments. The fact that the pop appeal is not lost in all the chaos is mainly due to the clever songwriting of singer and guitarist Sadie Dupois. You may have to listen to this album several times to appreciate it – but then you are rewarded with an incredibly exciting, intelligent guitar fireworks.
Author: Elias Pietsch