Sleigh Bells
Bitter Rivals
October 8 2013
Mom + Pop Records
7.4/10
Kelly Patterson
Bitter Rivals
October 8 2013
Mom + Pop Records
7.4/10
Kelly Patterson
Nothing assaults the senses quite like a Sleigh Bells show. Strobe lights, ear-shattering lead guitar over distorted drum loops, and the usual hometown crowd you know to be so timid forcing you closer and closer to the barrier. And it’s awesome. I had the pleasure of seeing Sleigh Bells in support of both Treats (2010) and Reign of Terror (2012) -- they played mostly tracks from the far-crazier Treats on both tours, recognizing that the polished tracks featured on their second release would disappoint those looking to experience pure noise. When dates were announced for a 2013 tour behind Bitter Rivals (available for purchase October 8th, now streaming via Rolling Stone) I was hesitant to commit before hearing the new record. No band can tour one album forever.
Much like Sleigh Bells’ juxtaposed genres of noise rock and bubblegum pop, or a real pair of mortal enemies, Bitter Rivals runs hot and cold. The better tracks, including the title track and singles “You Don’t Get me Twice” and “Minnie” successfully combine the bombastic fuzz of Treats with the cherry-shine of Reign of Terror. The extremes of their discography (think “Straight A’s” and “End of the Line”) are noticeably absent, but nothing here is unfamiliar; each track draws from earlier material and makes unexpected connections between melody and cacophony. “Sing Like a Wire”, an upbeat synth track features frontwoman Alexis Krauss’s voice more clearly than we’ve ever heard it before, but still returns to the the rapid-fire lo-fi we know and love at the chorus. “To Hell With You” takes the ballad style overused on Reign of Terror and builds it up to the sonic standard of a band who’ve created the nicest way to go deaf.
Like its predecessor, Bitter Rivals boasts a few strong noise tracks among failed experiments in combining oil and water. It does manage to reach out to fans of both earlier albums, though neither will be completely satisfied. I’ll be attending my third Sleigh Bells show in November, in hopes that the best tracks on this record are going to be even better live.
Much like Sleigh Bells’ juxtaposed genres of noise rock and bubblegum pop, or a real pair of mortal enemies, Bitter Rivals runs hot and cold. The better tracks, including the title track and singles “You Don’t Get me Twice” and “Minnie” successfully combine the bombastic fuzz of Treats with the cherry-shine of Reign of Terror. The extremes of their discography (think “Straight A’s” and “End of the Line”) are noticeably absent, but nothing here is unfamiliar; each track draws from earlier material and makes unexpected connections between melody and cacophony. “Sing Like a Wire”, an upbeat synth track features frontwoman Alexis Krauss’s voice more clearly than we’ve ever heard it before, but still returns to the the rapid-fire lo-fi we know and love at the chorus. “To Hell With You” takes the ballad style overused on Reign of Terror and builds it up to the sonic standard of a band who’ve created the nicest way to go deaf.
Like its predecessor, Bitter Rivals boasts a few strong noise tracks among failed experiments in combining oil and water. It does manage to reach out to fans of both earlier albums, though neither will be completely satisfied. I’ll be attending my third Sleigh Bells show in November, in hopes that the best tracks on this record are going to be even better live.
