A Certain Regard
Haldern Pop, 2022
8/10
The Vienna rockers Thirsty Eyes turn in an impressive debut album, and it’s one that’s not easy to classify as they surround gritty, rough around the edges and sometimes quite minimal ideas in a very adventurous sort of way.
“Slothchild” opens the listen with group vocals and raw guitar in a curious campfire-esque setting, and “Alaska” follows with a light buzzing as ominous singing unfolds with intrigue and mystery.
Moving towards the middle, the drum focused and rhythmic “Chickenbeat” is quite stylish with some post-punk flavor, while “In Viagra” explores spaghetti western like oddities with a furious pace that gallops playfully.
Closer to the end, “Lonely Gold” swirls with a rugged yet tuneful version of colorful, pop fueled ideas, and “Give Your Love To Be Free” exits the listen with some intimacy that’s a bit dark and also absorbing in an atypical fashion.
You might see a resemblance to Thee Oh Sees or maybe even Black Lips here, which could never be a bad thing, and this very unpredictable first record certainly warrants plenty of attention from those with an ear for the iconoclastic.
Travels well with: Babel- Yoga Horror; Astral Swans- Astral Swans