Wells folks, tomorrow is election day and I think we could all use a little distraction. As you’ve read a million times before from me, new music is my distraction. I had no particular taste for any type of music, slow, rowdy, loud, soft… I really don’t care tonight. I just need something new to keep my mind off of everything else going on in the world tonight. I thumbed through my list and blindly landed on ‘Get Wise’ by Attic Salt. I turned off the Minnesota Public Radio News that has been blaring through my house since I got home today, poured a glass of wine, and hit play with a sense of optimism and excitement.
“Last Song” is both the first track and shortest track. I was worried that the one minute thirty-seven second song wouldn’t be long enough for me to get a taste of this band but man was I wrong! My house was instantly drenched in pop-punk perfection. The first band to come to mind as far as comparing goes would be Masked Intruder what with the chugging guitars but really, Attic Salt has a sound all of their own and it’s a sound that, even after just a minute and a half, I knew I was in love with.
There’s a seamless transition between the female vocals of “Last Song” and the male vocals in “Beautiful Lies”. I love bands that are able to do this but they are few and far between. Usually, when switching vocalists, the difference between the two is shocking and a bit off pudding but Attic Salt has their sound so together that it honestly took me a second to catch onto what happened.
The female vocals come back in for “Mud” which was an instant favorite of mine. This track is more folksy than the previous two tracks. Starting with just an acoustic guitar and heart-wrenching lyrics that anyone and everyone can relate to, I got completely lost in the raw honesty of this track. Even when the entire band comes in with an anthemic and boisterous sound, you can still feel the honesty in every single word. Just when I was getting settled into this calmer almost folk-rock sound, “Washington Street” comes in and blasted me out of my daydream. This track is perfectly aggressive. It’s not in your face or anything like that but it demands your attention without even trying.
“Undiscovered” is the longs track and just over three and a half minutes but it doesn’t feel like it. This track flew by as the smile on my face grew. It instantly reminded me of The Forecast (who used to be one of my favorite acts back in the day) mixed with Joyce Manor (who happens to be one of my current favorites). It’s that perfect blend of old and new all with a spin that only Attic Salt can pull off. That unique blend continues with “Fool 4 U” which brings the all-too-raw lyrics back to the forefront. This track has the type of beat that instantly gets stuck in your head and I had to listen to it a few times before moving on to “Souvenir” just because I couldn’t get over it.
“Souvenir” is an instant throwback to all of the brilliant pop-punk bands of days gone by. It’s an instant classic but, like the other tracks, doesn’t come off as dated, just nostalgic. The same can be said for “MOD” which instantly gave me old school Blink-182 vibes. Maybe it’s the hurried pace of the track, the chugging guitars, the rapid bassline- regardless, this track is the type of song that can instantly get you moving. I found myself dancing around in my chair like an idiot as this song played for the first time, the second time, third time… okay, time to move on.
Even though we are coming to the end of this album, Attic Salt continues to throw new elements in the mix. The beat of “Snow Day” is pretty close to the rest of this album but there’s something a bit slower about this track. Maybe it’s the lyrics or the way they are singing but there’s something cozy about this track that I instantly loved. I was getting huge Banner Pilot feelings from this one and that made me oh so very happy.
Closing out this quick but amazing album is “Truck Stop”. Attic Salt sure knows how to end an album on a high note. They cap off this album with one of the best tracks on said album. This one has it all– raw and emotional lyrics, pop-punk influence, an Attic Salt flare that only they can do– seriously a perfect ending to a perfect album.
Tomorrow is the election and it’s sure to be a trying day for all of us as we are overwhelmed with everything going on around us. I’m still going to feel overwhelmed and am inevitably going to have multiple panic attacks throughout the day but at least I’l have ‘Get Wise’ by Attic Salt in my back pocket to help calm down.
My Favorite Track(s): “Mud”; “Undiscovered”; “Truck Stop”
For Fans Of: Nostalgic Pop-Punk; Dancing
Dance-ability: 9 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Both cats slept on the couch
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 9 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 9.8 out of 10
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