My first exposure to Twin Peaks came when I saw Beach Fossils at the Chicago music venue, Subterranean, back in April. They were the opening act and, in my opinion, the best part of that bill. The four young Chicagoans from Rogers Park took to the stage and put on an entertaining half-hour of brash, youthful garage rock.
It was an awesome set, complete with guitar cables coming undone, an excessive amount of hopping around, and sarcastic in-between song banter from front man, Caiden James. Come to think of it, James merely shouted “Rock N’ Roll!” between songs, but it was so characteristically “them” that it was just perfect. What stuck out most, of course, were the tunes, which is why I was highly anticipating this band’s first LP. Let me tell you, it doesn’t disappoint.
To those who haven’t heard Twin Peaks yet, stylistically the band has the rabble-rousing energy of The Black Lips by way of the easy-going melodicism of a band like Real Estate. Twin Peaks offer up a free-sounding brand of garage rock and one hell of a summertime record to boot.
Though it is very short album (only about 28 minutes in length), Sunken still packs a great punch. “Baby Blue” starts it off right, highlighting more of their laid back, indie pop sounds. Things pick up with “Fast Eddie” boasting a very great, catchy-as-hell melody after the equally catchy introductory verses and main riff. It’s a blissed out, fun track and a total album highlight, to say the least.
If you want a great example of what this band is about, look no further than “Stand in The Sand”. This song is a catchy two-plus minutes of indie pop bliss, fronted by an “oh yeeeaahhhh” chorus and some pretty melodic guitar effects. The track sounds like being young set to music; it’s an absolute blast. Following that is “Irene.” Featuring an insanely catchy drum beat and melody, I guarantee that “Irene” will be impossible to get out of your head. It is one of Sunken‘s most subdued tracks, and at the same time one of its most memorable.
All in all, this is an incredibly solid debut from one of the most exciting new bands in Chicago. This release has got me totally hooked, and I’m excited to see where this band goes next. If you’re looking for some catchy and blissed-out indie pop, Twin Peaks is the band for you. Rock N’ Roll!
Track List: (Track Picks in Bold)
- Baby Blue
- Natural Villain
- Fast Eddie
- Out Of Commission
- Stand In The Sand
- Irene
- Boomers
- Ocean Blue