Labels: Adagio830
Review by: Andy Malcolm
I am not entirely sure if a band should open their record with their best song. Is it better to build, setting expectations lower and then causing eyebrows to be raised in surprise? Or come out fighting, stick your best song on as the opener and hope that people enjoy it so much that they kind of turn a blind eye to the fact that the rest of the record ain’t as good. Stirling Says open their debut LP with “Sausalito”, which cranks up the indie rock, and lets it unwind, rolling off into the distance, unimpeded. Super catchy, upbeat and energetic, it’s very reminiscent of the earlier stuff from Teenage Cool Kids, what with the gritty distorted melodies, and whiney vocals. And whilst that maybe be a sterling (ho) opener and the standout track, it’d be utterly wrong to say that after that things get awful. There’s the occasional filler track, and I get the feeling that this album could have been a mite shorter and shed some of the slower moments. Even so, Balboa is still a fine listen that will hold plenty of interest for anyone enamored with TCK, Meneguar and Superchunk. I am particularly partial to the meaty grunge of the Dinosaur Jr-esque guitar riffs that punch their way out of the speakers on pretty much every track.
Stirling Says have come up with a DIY indie rock album that is jammed full of punk rock spirit, the way it oughta be. This be a pleasing album all told.