NYC-based five-piece band Blonde Otter blends their power pop and garage rock roots with new wave and post-punk elements on their new sophomore album Blonde Otter 2, released on October 16th. They fuse chugging guitar riffs with soaring synths, and juxtapose upbeat tempos and melodies with cynical lyrics about digital alienation, performative culture, and urban burnout. While their sound can be generally described as 2010s indie pop rock like an amalgamation of The Strokes, Muse, and Alvvays, they also have a sort of sunny Beach Boys vibe that transcends any specific era categorization. Catch them live at their album release show October 24th at Mercury Lounge in NYC (tickets).
The band is composed of Michael Guariglia (vocals, lyrics), Dan Wines (lead guitar), Stephen Malichek (lead guitar), Matt Falcone (drums), and Rob Falcone (bass, vocals, lyrics, primary songwriter). The Falcone brothers are also in the band Pespi, who put out an awesome album BLT last month, which I wrote a review on (read it here). I don’t know what’s in the water down there, but these dudes are versatile and prolific as hell, and I’m digging what they’re putting out there. Whereas Pespi is more angular and mathy garage rock, Blonde Otter is more straightforward and accessible pop rock.
After five years since their debut, self-titled album, Blonde Otter is back with the sequel. Maintaining a consistency of form, both albums are approximately 30 minutes in duration and made up of 11 2-3-minute-long songs. Blonde Otter 2 opens with “Paper Trails,” a catchy indie pop rock track about toppling the powers that be (“follow the money” type vibes). The song begins with disorienting electronic feedback that soon dissipates, and then the band kicks in with their Strokes-esque riffage and head-bopping momentum. Guariglia sings, “Hope you haven’t made many plans / The world’s been painted with red hands / …Join me for the same mistakes / So late to make it great.” Malichek’s fuzzy lead guitar tones are on point and the Falcones’ drums and bass are in the pocket. The song is pretty misanthropic, but perhaps rightfully so, because I mean, look around–things are pretty dystopian to say the least. Track 2, “Dissolution,” begins slow and light, as if we’re floating, and then comes the big, heavy, satisfying drop. Falcone belts, “A new body that you can’t escape / In a graveyard in another space / You found out you were born too late / No one’s depression is ever the same.” Feeling as if we missed the good times and were born in the bad times is a relatable sentiment. The singer repeats the chorus but replaces “depression” with “oppression” the second time around, highlighting how the two are interrelated in the vicious cycle. While it might seem like the lyrics would bum you out, the music is oddly uplifting, creating this cacophony of emotions that is quite characteristic of the average state of being in the year 2026 A.D.
The remainder of side A mixes in some punk elements, maintaining an abrasive rock energy, before shifting to electronic power pop in side B. “The Right Thing” sounds like something you might hear on a Tony Hawk soundtrack–as a huge THPS fan who grew up on the game, I say that in the best way. “Top to the Bottom” brings a bit more edge and attitude that sounds like a coalescence of Wavves and Queens of the Stone Age. In “Convenience Store,” the autotune vocals and guitar riffs are evocative Reality Awaits-era Strokes. “Your Number” explores the cynicism of living in the digital age and enduring continual communication breakdowns. “All the Boys” marks the shift to more electronic, dancy, synth-heavy, drum machine-driven pop songs that are reminiscent of Blonde Otter’s original sound on their initial album, which they continue to experiment with on “In Circles.” “So Quickly” and “Try Again” bring back the guitars and drum kit, while still mixing in a tasteful amount of synth and electronic components. And then the album ends with “Crazy,” a short-but-sweet song with a simple arrangement of just vocals and acoustic guitar–a nice coda to wrap up the record.
With Blonde Otter 2, Blonde Otter blends their old and new sounds, developing and deepening their sonic signature. By pairing familiar echoes with adventurously experimental resonances, the band has added complexity and depth to their repertoire that’ll keep listeners coming back for more. I’m loving the direction this band is taking and I’m psyched to hear what they put out next.
Blonde Otter’s social and streaming links:
Buy the album on Bandcamp
-Review written by James Kwapisz
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