Guest Directors

Oh, To Be Weightless In The Sky

Topsy, 2022

9/10

Listen to Oh, To Be Weightless In The Sky

The Seattle rockers Guest Directors return with 5 really focused tunes that bring the producer extraordinaire Jack Endino on board for some of their heaviest work to date.

“Another Round (An Echo)” opens the listen with a hazy alt-rock angle that showcases the distinct vocals of front woman Julie D. amid the agile drums and dreamy guitars, and “In The Cellar” follows with a bit of ruggedness in the dense climate that rumbles with a noise-rock appeal.

The middle spot belongs to “Shipwreck”, which focuses on dual gender vocals alongside punchy drumming and shoegaze friendly qualities that help make this the album’s best, while “Hidden Silos” brings both beauty and tension via the throbbing bass, spacey guitar and thick drums. “Words Disappear” exits the listen, and it comes with a scrappy version of indie-rock that’s got some post-punk flavor to the diverse and memorable finish.

An effort that’s more muscular than anything they’ve done recently, there’s still much melody to be found packed in between the reverb, dream-pop and tuneful noise of one of the most exciting bands that exists today.

Travels well with: The Royal Arctic Institute- Russian Twists; Modern Stars- Psychindustrial