Search - Sleigh Bells :: Treats

Sleigh Bells - Jingle all the way!

Red on Black | Cardiff | 06/01/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This one is going to split the jury. Sleigh Bells are not a Christmas novelty act (some will disagree) but another band from the People's Independent Noise Republic of Brooklyn and an immense grungy dance punk juggernaut consisting of Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller a former hardcore rock guitarist. For influences think Bow Wow Wow, crossed with Lil Wayne and then throw in the Beastie Boys, White Stripes and Le Tigre.



As for the music Sleigh Bells elephantine beats don't just hammer the damn things could pile drive concrete supports into the foundations for skyscrapers. Their primitive guitar fuzz is wickedly distorted and married to the simplest of pop melodies. Krauss's ever so sweet voice provides tranquillity amongst this cacophony. Thereby this irresistible mix combines with room-shaking production and big guitars and is the reason why so many people are salivating over this album on the blogosphere.



When I first played the opener "Tell em" on my car stereo it was so bloody loud I swerved to miss a passing cyclist. It is a full blown aural assault, the musical equivalent of a punch in the face and one of the quieter songs on the album. It may just be 2010's musical counterpart to last years "My Girls" by Animal Collective. In terms of what follows there is no let up or escape. "Riot Rhythm" has drums which pound and Millers guitar introduces a razor like cutting riff. "Infinity guitars" sounds like a cross between the Beastie boys and Japandroids. "Run the heart" is Abba for the Twitter generation. It is a staccato composition punctuated by bubbling noises, shimmering synths and the dreamlike vocal of Krauss. Then there is the Phil Spectorish "Rill Rill" formerly "Ring Ring" from their demo's which is a charming confection of a pop song that is a temporary if welcome relief from Miller frankly going mental. His return however comes back with all the force of a wayward Katyusha missile on "Crown on the Ground" which sounds like the treble button has broken and someone has sucked the bass out. Your graphic equalizer is I am afraid onto a hiding to nothing but it works brilliantly and is actually quite sweet in comparison to the 90 second riff monster "Straight A's" that follows which could be Husker Du having a bad soundcheck. "A B Machines" is a surf guitar hip hop mash up (I kid you not) with Krauss repeating a two line lyric throughout. Finally the title track sounds like Mastadon making a bid for the charts with a girl singer.



There will be many of you wonderful people on Amazon who will state that "you don't get this", that "you've heard it all before" or will use that ubiquitous insult that it is the "king's new clothes". Even more will complain that the level of distortion on the album (at Spinal Tap "11") is giving your speakers a workload which they neither desire or can cope with and that perhaps "Treats" should come with complimentary Paracetamol. Yet there are on occasions when certain albums for just a very elusive moment on the space time continuum appear to make all other game players sound a bit wrought and tired. Sleigh Bells new album "Treats" falls into that category and will nudge popular music into different directions.



Granted "Treats" is so bound for mainstream success and overexposure that you sense that a brief romance with this band may be the extent of your involvement, but so what it will be fun while it lasts. Thus we have an album that is very loud, trashy, and disposable and pulled off with the sort of brazen audacity that would find the state police visiting in the dark of night in a less tolerant society. "Treats" describes itself, get it on Amazon MP3 download now and be prepared for a complete sensory overload."

Emp ty vee cd

IRate | 06/09/2010

(2 out of 5 stars)

"
Deerhoof meets Timbaland and cloyingly contrived at that. Don't get me wrong, in the context of your typically warped indie hipster's obligatory of-the-moment-cool, Treats is capable of becoming an occasionally fun novelty- one with little to no staying power."

Intense, confident and satisfying

S. Sale | Canton, IL USA | 06/05/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As many have stated, Sleigh Bells have gotten a lot of buzz over the past year for their unique sound. There isn't an easy way to classify Treats; Some have drawn parallels to late 90's rap infused with The White Stripes and Le Tigre or MIA's Arular. There's even some classic rock influences to be found. All are valid, but there's enough going on here that the album as a whole has no comparison.



Derek Miller's hardcore roots are evident here, as is Alexis Krauss' previous work in a girl group. The two seem destined to clash, but defy the cynics and become one of the most interesting new acts this year.



From the beginning track, "Tell 'Em," I was hooked on the booming bass, storming guitar and Alexis' beautiful voice. The following track, "Kids," is one of the primary tracks that draws comparisons to late 90's rap. "Riot Rhythm" follows the first track's sound closely, and uses some addictive guitar riffs at that. "Infinity Guitars" is among one of the harsher tracks on the album, and also seems slightly out of place, but the change of pace is definitely appreciated. "Run the Heart" reminds me again of "Kids" in it's use of rap synth and beats.



"Straight A's" is the loudest track on the album. Without doubt. It brings a whole new meaning to loud, and makes the music seem larger than life. It's followed up with "A/B Machines," a simple 2 line song that will probably become some sort of dancehall remix favorite. It will also immediately remind some of MIA with the vocal style.



The namesake of the album, "Treats," is an interesting culmination for the album, and seems like an appropriate closer. It starts off by sounding like a Smiths song, then returns to form. I was happy that it didn't end on a poor note; too many albums as of late have and it just seems disappointing when an otherwise strong album leaves off weakly.



What is most obvious and interesting is the shear noise and force that Alexis' often crystal, proper voice sings through; Pitchfork compared it to a tempest that she seems accustomed to and has no problem singing over. I agree completely; they pull off this dynamic over most of the album, but give the listener a few moments of rest. A couple of instances of this are in the tracks, "Rachel" and "Rill Rill," both of which slow down the album appropriately for the coming storm of the second half of the album.



Each consecutive listen of the album has me more excited for the possibilities and future of Sleigh Bells. At the same time, I'm slightly worried they may become "the new thing" and get played to death. Their sound may wear thin, or become a gimmick. Also, (and this has been stated by many) the band will polarize listeners. It's enough pop to draw a lot of otherwise Top-40 only listeners, but some will find it too loud and aggressive.



For now though, I'm going to listen to and enjoy the album. I suggest you do to."