SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: S.C.A.B. – SOMEBODY IN NEW YORK LOVES YOU!

S.C.A.B.
SOMEBODY IN NEW YORK LOVES YOU!
GRIND SELECT

For a band that goes by the name of S.C.A.B., one wouldn’t be faulted for assuming that the sonic accompaniment would be equally as loud and intense, as thrash-filled and pessimistic. However, as soon as you listen to the first track on their latest LP, Somebody in New York Loves You!, this impression is tossed to the side and replaced by the presence of a lively and exciting alternative that brings to mind the likes of The Wombats and Interpol. If you’ve recently found yourself feeling insecure about the future of alternative rock, fear no more, because S.C.A.B. has the soothing answer to your troubles conveniently available on your favourite streaming services.

Allowing themselves to be liberated by overlooked chord progressions and vocal performances that are filled to the brim with cognizance and passion, Somebody in New York Loves You! is an energizing and colourful release. The high fidelity-heavy, slightly echoed vocal tracks dance playfully and prominently over the instrumentals. Whether it be through a slow build on tracks like “Erika,” or a full-blown instrumental explosion like “MK,” S.C.A.B. finds themselves dedicated to acknowledging the decades of alternative and indie rock that came before and playfully building upon these templates. To get specific for a moment, anyone who was a fan of DIY music from the 2000s/2010s will feel a wave of nostalgia wash over them as they hear intermissions and epilogues that feature a grainy voicemail playing over passionate instrumentals.

“Nothing More,” an especially gorgeous track, stands out as a universal banger within the grand scheme of the album. While some of the tracks find themselves relishing, perhaps a bit too zealously, in the foundations and possibilities of indie rock, “Nothing More” stands out as a banger that everybody can sway along to. Seeing as the album is riddled with ambition and excitement, it’s no surprise that the LP immediately shoots into a patient, introspective ballad from here, with the closing track, “How Long Has It Been?” The last two minutes of the track are reminiscent of blink-182’s “Depends,” as members of the group record themselves singing soft melodies over the ambient noise of traffic and city life, then jumping into a quick, ‘different’ song with humorous vibes.

S.C.A.B. isn’t aiming to reinvent the wheel; however, the group is more than happy to provide an LP that is heavily aware of the alternative rock acts that it’s following in the footsteps of. There’s an incredibly playful energy that’s on prominent display here, one that is hard to come by within the contemporary landscape of rock ‘n’ roll. It’s like an unexpected present from a long-lost friend; there’s something magical about the ballads and acts of instrumentation on display throughout the course of the LP.

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