Review Summary: Like the musical equivalent of a comfy hoodie
(Soft Limbs= early Modest Mouse+Mac DeMarco)
Salt Lake City-based band Soft Limbs cites “waffles, chocolate mint ice cream, pumpkin pie, rain, comfy hoodies and beanies” as band interests on their Facebook page. While that might at first glance might seem a bit cutesy and probably irrelevant, it feels strangely apt while listening to Soft Limbs’ 2015 debut, Small Village Rumors. Right from opening track “Pocketz”, singer/guitarist Alex Jorel sets to work creating a sonic atmosphere of cozy security. “Headed to the Masses” sounds like a dream pop version of a
U2 anthem, adding ambient flavor to shout-along-worthy post-punk. On “Be More Specific (Health Device)”, new-wave keyboard flourishes and chiming guitars complement drummer Curits Pettygrove’s waves of busy percussion, like the band is playing in a huge blanket fortress while rain pounds on the windows. In fact, the whole album feels like the perfect soundtrack for staying inside during bad weather- Warm, content and relaxed, but just aware enough of the turmoil outside to keep from feeling too complacent.
That awareness comes primarily in the form of Jorel’s lyrics, which bring a welcome element of concision to very common subject matters (relationships, personal introspection, etc.). On “Tied Up”, the anguished mantra of “I get so tide up” during the chorus conveys a lot of emotion and meaning while explicitly saying very little. And on “It Says”, Jorel’s calm, almost mumbled delivery contrasts sharply with lines like “It says whatever it wants to say/ It keeps it hidden away/ It bled in a terrible way/ It dies right in front of your face”
Small Village Rumors is remarkably consistent throughout, with each of its eight tracks serving up a similar style of krautrock-inflected indie pop with enough variation to prevent it from getting stale. The only downside of this is that, apart from my personal favorite track (“Headed to the Masses), there are no real standouts on the album. It functions cohesively as a whole, and is best enjoyed beginning to end (Which isn’t hard, given that the total running time is less than half an hour).
Overall, Small Village Rumors, much like an old hoodie or a slice of pumpkin pie, is not especially groundbreaking on any level, and probably won’t stick with you for the rest of your life. Still, it’s an easy album to pick up and enjoy, and perfect to listen to as the weather gets colder and snow starts falling.
