Written by Megan Langley
Artwork by Sumner Howells
The Sonder Bombs are a band that has been around for a few years now, and it's not hard to fall head over heels for their music. “Clothbound” was a highly anticipated release for this year for many, and it certainly did not disappoint.
The opening track “Papillon” begins with a ukulele before more instruments come in to help drive the rhythm of the song. While the song starts on an overall softer note, the pre-chorus builds up to a bigger chorus with beautiful vocal harmonies.
A lot of this record traces back to the band’s ukulele-punk roots, and one of the most prominent examples of this is the album’s seventh track, “Swing On Sight.” Its irresistible composition shines through the energetic instrumentals and powerful vocals throughout the track, and it’s one of quite a few songs on here that I feel is reminiscent of the band’s debut, “Modern Female Rockstar.”
Another case of this is the album’s phenomenal closing track “Play It By Fear,” which contains one of the most memorable choruses this record has to offer and quickly became one of my favorite tracks on the whole release. The lively single “What Are Friends For?” delivers a similar amount of energy and contains melodies that have been stuck in my head since I first heard the track, and the powerhouse vocal performances in “The Brink” and the breakdown in “k.” both add a hint of aggression to the record.
Some of the tracks on this record show the band exploring new territory and experimenting with their sound. “Crying Is Cool” shows this experimentation and the blend of new and old influences very well, and it makes a very strong lead single for this album; “Vegas, BABYYY!!!” does the same, mixing some synths with the catchy guitar and bass riffs that drive the track’s upbeat tempo.
Amongst all of these tracks are a couple of much more laid-back ones that contrast a lot from the rest of the record. “The One About You” is led by brighter guitars and softer vocals, and “Scattered” is similar in that regard, as it’s driven by acoustic guitar and a quieter vocal performance before the drums, electric guitar, and bass join in later on to carry the song’s much slower rhythm.
On “Clothbound,” The Sonder Bombs showcase their distinctive sound and the evolution of that sound over the past couple of years. This record is filled with ten well-written tracks and as a whole, it makes for a strong sophomore LP from the band.
“Clothbound” is now available on all streaming platforms; be sure to follow the band on Twitter @Sonder_Bombs and check out their merch. If you’ve heard the album, let us know your thoughts by tweeting us @lgndsoftmrw!
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