On their ambitious debut album, Brooklyn noise pop duo Sleigh Bells treat our ears to a fresh angle on the stagnant crunk sound with cheers, rock guitars, massive drum blasts and air-tight pop vocals. The results are immensely listenable and frequently dazzling.
More often than not, the band’s music sounds like a fully-integrated mix of electro pop and 90s hardcore—an admittedly cheap comparison considering that singer Alexis Krauss was indeed once in teen-pop group Ruby Blue, while guitarist/song-writer Derek E. Miller was a long-time member of post-hardcore outfit Poison the Well. Loud-and-clear opener “Tell ‘Em” sums the record up perfectly. If you are unable to process the blaring crunk beat paired with the screaming metal guitar leads, then your attitude about the album is unlikely to change. Krauss’ sugary-sweet vocals sound like they were pulled from another song altogether, but the crowded mix makes room for her quite effectively. Read full review at inyourspeakers.com
Listen/Download: Sleigh Bells- Tell Em Here
