Miranda and the Beat : " Can't Take It"

 

Was a fan of their 2023 album, so looking forward to sinking my ears into this one. It carries a darker mood from the beginning, as their garage punk clashes with new-wave leanings. It is raw and less produced like a 1950s pop album. The second song "These Days" is less intense and more simmering. Miranda Zipse delivers an equally interesting vocal performance to the more brooding song. She displays her upper range slightly for dramatic effect. I like the streak contrast of the first two songs to establish the fact that she might take things in any direction she damn well pleases. 

"Earthquake Water" brings back the more frantic punk feel, perhaps even more desperate than the opening track, Her vocals have a purpose rather than the normal punk shouting. "Anxiety" finds the manic mood conveying the message well. "El Lobo Negro" takes things in a darker Spanish direction, though the chanted vocals sound somewhat gleeful. Then it gets stripped down to just Zipse and the strum of an acoustic guitar. If a depressed Amy Winehouse got lost in Mexico as similar song might have been written. "I Tried" works well to find an honest emotive place for her voice, while still shifting into more explosive rock."In My Life" works off a reverb-heavy surf rock style, that calls some of the 1950s pop. 

"New York Video" works more of a frantic punk pace, filled with 70's new wave vibes. In fact, this is where the album begins to take a turn in a more punk direction. "Manipulate Me" pulls from a similar era of punk. However, the vocals have more 80s aggression to them which bands like 45 Grave or the Plasmatics were about. Then it's back to 1950's 1950-styled pop on "Up in Smoke", it works but it feels like "The Secrets" is more inspired as it takes a nod toward the shadows. I will give this album a 9 it takes more chances and covers greater ground stylistic choices that typically pay off.  Solid punk rock n roll with a 50s flair. 

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Miranda and the Beat : "s/t"

 This band is interesting , as the first song is a steamy groove driven R&B song that takes you back to when R&B was created with real instruments. The singer recalls a young Tina Turner. This is a drastic turn from  where they go on the second song, which has a 60s garage pop vibe to it. Both are authentic the first song works better as it has more of it's own identity. I had to give "Concrete" a second listen as the first one did not grab my attention of the bat. It has more of a frantic punk energy. They get more explosive in places. The first three songs all touch on different styles. Yet have a signature sound. This works for me. It gives the album the kind of wide ranged dynamics I prefer. 

"I'm Not Your Baby" finds them returning to the more r&b style though, it is less groove driven, and drips with less sex.  "Not My Guy" is like a ballad from 1950s girl group pop. "ODR" is an under a minute punk burst that I am not sure what the purpose of is. If Amy Winehouse was making music that was more brooding and bordered on post-punk the results might be not unlike "When are You Coming Home" .  The go back into darker 60s freak out mode on "Too Afraid" . They certainly are capable of conjuring all the needed retro sounds. It might be tempting to compare them to Death Valley Girls, as in concept they do similar, but they are dark in a different manner. 

"Let You Go"  is more of a rock song, very deliberate in it's pulse, with flourish of dramatic organs decorating the climax. "Don't Feel the Same" is lo-fi garage rock with a 50's twang. The vocals are much different here, one of the other girls must be singing lead. This album captures a diverse array of sounds very well. I will give this one a 9 and see how it grows on me. This drops May 26th .