Alright, ninjas. Unfortunately the weekend is over. It’s time to gear up, grab the bull by the horns, and absolutely own the pathetic excuse for a weekday known as Monday. Luckily for us, we have some rippin’ tunes to help carry the tempo for today’s hustle, and it comes via New York outfit Barkhouse.
Do us a favor before you get too far into this post. Can you press play on “Oh No?” There we go. Now we have the proper mood set for this write up. As if pre-destined to be the perfect song to kick your day off, “Oh No” has a strong focus on frenetic percussion and grainy vocals, all of which create a manic, grin-inducing energy which produces the need to get up and punch the day right in the face. It beckons on associations of The Strokes, while maintaining a more feverish tempo than those larger-than-life fellow New Yorkers.
Not every song on Wolves at the Wall boasts a fast-paced intensity worthy of replacing your morning caffeine fix though. In fact, “Getting Away,” holds quite the contrast, displaying a delicate, indie rock vibe. The slowly cascading guitar riffs carefully accentuate the pronounced bassline, providing the perfect compliment to your road trip playlist.
“Twice a Day” continues to show the breadth of their talent, giving us a progressive rock build up. The glowing intro and haunting vocals slowly build into a crescendo of engaging guitar work and a head-nodding rhythm section, which quickly reminds us of some of our favorite Brit-pop acts.
At the end of the day, this five-track EP (recorded at Adrian Grenier’s Wreckroom Records) has us grinning ear-to-ear and wondering how in the hell they aren’t bigger yet. Regardless of whatever reason that may be, it won’t be long. Make sure to snag this gem, which comes out tomorrow, and be ahead of the curve.
