Seablite — Grass Stains and Novocaine (June 7, 2019)
∠∠ Sparkly dream pop and shoegaze from a Bay Area band.
Location: San Francisco, CA
Styles: Alternative/Indie Rock, Shoegaze, Indie Pop, Dream Pop
Album release: June 7, 2019
Record Label: Emotional Response
Duration: 32:58
Tracks:
01 Won’t You 2:56
02 Pillbox 2:43
03 Lollipop Crush 2:17
04 Time is Weird 3:09
05 Heart Mountain 3:01
06 (He’s A) Vacuum Chamber 4:08
07 There Were Only Shadows 2:58
08 Haggard 2:34
09 House of Papercuts 3:10
10 Polygraph 2:48
11 I Talk to Frogs 3:14
AllMusic Review by Tim Sendra; Score: ★★★★
∠∠ On San Francisco band Seablite’s debut album Grass Stains & Novocaine, the quartet dig deep into the tropes of dream pop; the album is bathed in reverb~hazed guitars, dreamy vocal harmonies, and diffuse hooks. They also don’t miss many shoegaze tricks; the dynamic shifts, high~speed drum fills, and guitar pedal overload come right out of the My Bloody Valentine playbook. They even take the occasional detour into C~86~style crash pop along the way. It could have been just an exercise in lazy nostalgia, but it turns out far, far better than that. The band add enough energy and spirit to the basic template that they end up going far beyond rote duplication on a record that would fit easily on a shelf between Drop Nineteens and Tiger Trap, to name two worthy examples.
∠∠ They bring passion and skill to the songs with every member adding something special. Lauren Matsui and Galine Tumasyan’s vocals are haunting and sweet, ex~Wax Idol Jen Mundy’s guitar leads are pretty and evocative, and drummer Andy Pastalaniec drives it home like he’s late for dinner. The whole record is top~level dreamgaze, with a few songs standing out as moments where the melodies and music lock together and soar. “Heart Mountain” and “Pillbox” are uptempo examples, the majestic “(He’s A) Vacuum Chamber” is the one time the album slows down and folds some Cocteau Twins splendor into the mix, and “House of Papercuts” is a lovely, midtempo, melancholy pop song that Alvvays would steal if they could.
∠∠ Seablite aren’t doing anything very new on Grass Stains & Novocaine, but they aren’t exactly treading water, either. They imbue the past with the excitement of the present and in the process make an impressive, must~have dreamgaze album. ∠∠ https://www.allmusic.com/
Bio: After a gloriously received cassette EP, Emotional Response are proud to release the debut full length from this acclaimed and adored Bay area pop~band.
∠∠ Seablite, (3 gals, one guy), spread their infectious pop~chops over 11 surefire winners, with a confident mix of shimmering and weightless female vocal melodies and blissed out guitar pop, providing a mix of UK ‘80’s DIY~indiepop coupled with an updated take on many of the greats of the shoegaze era, such as Lush, Pale Saints, and MBV.
∠∠ “…Ushering in that special blend of bouncing pop music that can only make your day 100 times better. It opens with these sharp little guitar stabs, then a punctuated drum beat and we’re off to super rad fun times. The vocals are really soft and dreamy, helping spin the listener about in their bedroom. It’s Tuesday, and this is my absolutely favorite track of the week.” — (Austin Town Hall)
∠∠ “Extremely catchy pop music from San Francisco’s Sea Blite who have a sound that transcends through the decades. I can hear 1960’s girl bands alongside 1980’s indiepop, 1960’s garage and music from the 1990’s such as Tiger Trap, The Softies and All Girl Summer Fun Band to name but a few”. — (Records I Like, Blogspot)
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Location: San Francisco, CA
Styles: Alternative/Indie Rock, Shoegaze, Indie Pop, Dream Pop
Album release: June 7, 2019
Record Label: Emotional Response
Duration: 32:58
Tracks:
01 Won’t You 2:56
02 Pillbox 2:43
03 Lollipop Crush 2:17
04 Time is Weird 3:09
05 Heart Mountain 3:01
06 (He’s A) Vacuum Chamber 4:08
07 There Were Only Shadows 2:58
08 Haggard 2:34
09 House of Papercuts 3:10
10 Polygraph 2:48
11 I Talk to Frogs 3:14
AllMusic Review by Tim Sendra; Score: ★★★★
∠∠ On San Francisco band Seablite’s debut album Grass Stains & Novocaine, the quartet dig deep into the tropes of dream pop; the album is bathed in reverb~hazed guitars, dreamy vocal harmonies, and diffuse hooks. They also don’t miss many shoegaze tricks; the dynamic shifts, high~speed drum fills, and guitar pedal overload come right out of the My Bloody Valentine playbook. They even take the occasional detour into C~86~style crash pop along the way. It could have been just an exercise in lazy nostalgia, but it turns out far, far better than that. The band add enough energy and spirit to the basic template that they end up going far beyond rote duplication on a record that would fit easily on a shelf between Drop Nineteens and Tiger Trap, to name two worthy examples.
∠∠ They bring passion and skill to the songs with every member adding something special. Lauren Matsui and Galine Tumasyan’s vocals are haunting and sweet, ex~Wax Idol Jen Mundy’s guitar leads are pretty and evocative, and drummer Andy Pastalaniec drives it home like he’s late for dinner. The whole record is top~level dreamgaze, with a few songs standing out as moments where the melodies and music lock together and soar. “Heart Mountain” and “Pillbox” are uptempo examples, the majestic “(He’s A) Vacuum Chamber” is the one time the album slows down and folds some Cocteau Twins splendor into the mix, and “House of Papercuts” is a lovely, midtempo, melancholy pop song that Alvvays would steal if they could.
∠∠ Seablite aren’t doing anything very new on Grass Stains & Novocaine, but they aren’t exactly treading water, either. They imbue the past with the excitement of the present and in the process make an impressive, must~have dreamgaze album. ∠∠ https://www.allmusic.com/
Bio: After a gloriously received cassette EP, Emotional Response are proud to release the debut full length from this acclaimed and adored Bay area pop~band.
∠∠ Seablite, (3 gals, one guy), spread their infectious pop~chops over 11 surefire winners, with a confident mix of shimmering and weightless female vocal melodies and blissed out guitar pop, providing a mix of UK ‘80’s DIY~indiepop coupled with an updated take on many of the greats of the shoegaze era, such as Lush, Pale Saints, and MBV.
∠∠ “…Ushering in that special blend of bouncing pop music that can only make your day 100 times better. It opens with these sharp little guitar stabs, then a punctuated drum beat and we’re off to super rad fun times. The vocals are really soft and dreamy, helping spin the listener about in their bedroom. It’s Tuesday, and this is my absolutely favorite track of the week.” — (Austin Town Hall)
∠∠ “Extremely catchy pop music from San Francisco’s Sea Blite who have a sound that transcends through the decades. I can hear 1960’s girl bands alongside 1980’s indiepop, 1960’s garage and music from the 1990’s such as Tiger Trap, The Softies and All Girl Summer Fun Band to name but a few”. — (Records I Like, Blogspot)
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