SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ORUÃ – SLACKER

ORUÃ
SLACKER
K RECORDS

Oruã is a psychedelic rock band, based in Brazil, and Slacker is their fifth studio album since they made their debut in 2016. The band includes former members of Built to Spill, and in fact, Slacker was produced/recorded by Built to Spill guitarist Jim Roth. Over the years, Oruã has carved out their distinct sound and style, creating incredible rock music which combines classic psychedelic sound with the very current mentalities. Slacker is a good example of what Oruã does best, combining their influences and creating something very unique and exciting.

Songs like “De se Envolver,” “Slave of The Golden Teeth,” and “Deus Dará” show the band absolutely rocking out. The songs burst out of the speaker. With strong vocals and distorted guitars, the band explodes. Elsewhere, songs such as “Soft” tips their hat to Cocteau Twins. It is a very atmospheric slice of pop music. The almost menacing vocals creates a mood throughout the song which leads into the very Beatley “Banguela” (it does bring “A Day in the Life” to mind). The heavily acoustic and short song is a sharp contrast to the previous song “Soft”. But that is what makes the album so enjoyable.

It may sound like the band are all over the place, and in a way they are. However, it keeps listening very interesting and enjoyable. Each song lulls the listener into their vast musical land which defies boundaries. A song like “Cachoeira” starts heavy with grinding guitar and morphs into a melodic pop song. Even within songs, one is never sure where the band is going. “México Suite” starts as a slow groove and ends with some fiery guitar solos. 

The album brings in many different styles and sounds. Oruã is a band talented enough to move with ease, from genre to genre and they do it extremely well. This is a tight, talented and flashy sound. It is the kind of album that treats the listener to different sounds with each spin on the turntable. It doesn’t matter what language the songs are sung in (the songs are sung in Portuguese), the listener can sense exactly what they are singing about. One thing is clear, there is passion, anger and social commentary. Slacker is a brilliant album that rock fans are sure to embrace and enjoy.

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