Pool Kids - Music to Practice Safe Sex to (2018)

Florida based Pool Kids feel like a unique voice in a sea of pretenders...plain and simple. It's approached I would say largely from a singer-songwriter perspective and that is largely because main guitarist and vocalist Christine Goodwyne is the primary composer (along with Caden Clinton on drums).

So what of the songs themselves? well they toe the line pretty expertly between modern emo mixed with throw back indie rock elements and math rock/post rock dynamic sensibilities. The truly impressive bit here is how expertly these elements are all balanced. Songs like "They Only Care About My Fills And Not My Feels" really showcase this in spades. A pretty bombastic emo opening  dives straight into a jagged math bridge before chilling out in comfort for some indie crooning finishing with a cool little two guitar interplay. Caden's drumming should also really be commended here for sure. There is measured restraint and respect to the songs while coloring more intense portions with a bit of flair and technicality that allows the pieces to flex where they need to.

So we could pretty much close up shop and call things a day here buuuut the true winner here isn't even the instrumentation or composition. I make no secret about my gripes and groans of the math rock genre as a whole (indulgent instrumentation, lazy song composition ect) Which is why I am so happy to hear their special attention to vocals. Christine uses a diverse range and an attention to proper vocal hooks that really draw you into these songs even further. "Patterns" really catches this in its stripped down form, drawing special attention to the lyrcial content. These are intensely personal moments mixed with casual observations that feel like they could resonate with a variety of people.

I cant really say enough about how this really elevates the songs and has been in near constant rotation in my daily listening. I know I say this a lot but there is literally something here that anyone with even a passing interest in music should enjoy. Pool Kids set a true standard that other bands in this space should be taking heavy notes on. Beyond excited to see what the future holds for this sensational group.

Glomus - Circle (2018)

Circle is a well produced and slick first effort from Glomus, a three piece hailing from Tennessee.  On showcase is a very cohesive blend of post-rock structures with the beating heart of math rock and prog mechanics.

I will say composition’s can feel a bit crowded and more suited for a 3 minute jaunt than most songs 4-7 run time but that might be more personal preference. A few added dynamic variations would help the instruments breath and flesh out the proceedings. Tempos generally hold the same clip and a little mix up would give character. Knit picky? You bet! But only because the good points far out way.

This is ground that has been well worn..sure.. but there are more than a few moments that will catch your attention, from some surprisingly inspired bass riffage to more than a few impressive drum fills and restrained yet tasteful delay pedal work.  You can tell there is a lot of heart and chemistry between these three and on the same token of my crowded comment above, I also think its damn impressive to have this full of a sound with a three piece (maybe I can’t truly agree on where I stand)

Clearly focused on some of the heydays more popular math rock stalwarts, you can’t blame Glomus for finding a voice with the early 2000’s crowd. Bands like this are fewer and farther between so it was excellent to dive into this album a few times.

The end result is this is heads and tails stronger than most releases I hear from well established artists let alone from a debut album.  With a second album I can really see this group finding a clearer voice and refining what makes Circle in itself a worthwhile listen for any fan of the genre or instrumental music in general.