My music ADD has been off the charts all day. I just can’t figure out what I want to listen to and, now that I’m sitting at my computer to work on reviews, I realize that I’m still feeling that. Nothing I am pulling out of my stack of albums to review is really speaking to me but I really want to check out some new music- or at least new to me. I was about to give up and just call the night a wash until I pulled out The Persian Leaps’ 2019 album ‘Electrical Living’. Honestly, I’m not sure if this is what I’m in the mood for but I know that last time I reviewed an album for these guys (check out the review of their newer album ‘Smiling Lessons’ HERE!) it hit the spot so maybe this older album will do the same for me tonight.
A solid guitar part took over my house as “The Art Form” started pumping through my speakers. I was instantly energized by The Persian Leaps’ recognizable sound. This intro track is under a minute long but it reminded me exactly why I liked these guys the first time I heard them and brought a sense of familiarity to me that I think really got me in the right mood for the rest of my night.
The first “true” track on this album is “Catnip for Cupid”. Okay, they win on this title alone and I was tried to turn up the volume as loud as I could so the cats could hear. sadly, it just made them run to the closet upstairs but it was worth a try (sorry guys!). This fun track is upbeat and has that almost retro vibe that The Persian Leaps does so well reigning supreme throughout the track. There are some super ear-wormy “oooooh’s” and a slamming piano part that made this track fly by like it was nothing and, before I knew it, “Expert Witness” had taken over with its anthemic and powerful drumbeat hitting a little too hard throughout my house. After turning the volume back down, I really settled into this track and it became an instant favorite of mine. I just love how there’s so much power in this track but there’s still no denying who it is. Even with the power, it’s done in a way only The Persian Leaps can do.
“Sweet Nothings” has something about it that instantly made me smile. It’s upbeat but not overly poppy or bright. There’s a driving force in this track that is reminiscent of that in “Catnip For Cupid” but there’s just something a little bit more freeing about this track that I could not get enough of. It didn’t take long for my feet to start tapping around under my desk to the infectious beat of this track. I wanted this vibe to continue forever and, although it took a different form for “about your Record”, it was still there and my smile was still stretched from ear to ear. I feel like the vocals really take the spotlight for “About Your Record”. I found my head wandering during this track to all of the best clubs in town. There’s just something so easy about this track but also so anthemic. I hate it when every track on a particular album becomes a favorite track but I have to say, this was yet another favorite of mine.
The guitar work in “How we Win” really drives this track home. Like the other tracks, I feel like it flies by just due to the power but, even with that sense of power, there’s something about this song that feels a bit bare bones. There are no sweeping solos, no huge range in the vocals, no super intricate drum fills– it’s just good ol’ fashioned rock n’ roll. It’s a sound that should be everywhere but I feel like so many acts just overcomplicate it. This entire album so far (and probably to the end) is proof that you don’t need all of the smoke and mirrors to produce an amazing album. You just need passion, some instruments, and a sense of fun and creativity and that’s exactly what you get from this album.
Although I was loving the power of the previous tracks, the more tender vibe of “The Problem Is” is perfect. It really brings you back to the ground after the previous tracks and reminds you that there are so many sides to The Persian Leaps. This softer and more sensitive side is one that I truly adore coming from this band and this track puts it on display perfectly. Sadly, like the other tracks, this song lasted for under three minutes and as soon as I started to really pay attention to the lyrics, the song was over, and “Take Me to the Mountain” had begun. This track is a happy medium between the power heard previously and the more sensitive nature of “The Problem Is”. The chorus has an undeniable sense of power but the rest of the track has a more sing-song feeling to it like “The Problem Is”.
There’s an almost punk edge to “Chalk Line Behemoth” that made this track, you guessed it, an instant favorite of mine. Even with this edge, the style of this track remains in that retro-rock genre that The Persian Leaps have perfected. This mix leads to a super interesting track that I wish had lasted much more than just two and a half minutes but, alas, here we are and the track has already given way to “When Can I See You?”. Although the edge in “Chalk Line Behemoth” had me thinking the rest of this album was going to be pure power like the beginning of it, “When Can I See You?” brings that tenderness felt in “The Problem Is”. There’s something dreamy about this track that just sweeps your feet out from under you and whisks you off to another land. As I found myself floating in clouds, I focused on the guitar part and, as mentioned previously, was blown away by how simple yet powerful it is.
“Dominoes” closes out this eleven-track album with the same power that it started off with making this album come full circle in a perfect way. Even though this is the last track and I usually have something super insightful or powerful to say about the last tracks, I really have nothing left to say here. The Persian Leaps is one of those solid bands that clearly know what they are doing and they do it well. Who am I to question that? You need a band that you can always lean on for a solid sound, a perfect mix of rock n’ roll and tenderness? The Persian Leaps is that band.
My Favorite Track(s): “Expert Witness”; “About Your Record”; “Chalk Line Behemoth”
For Fans Of: Good Ol’ Fashioned Rock N Roll; Solid Bands That Can Do No Wrong
Dance-ability: 8 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Both cats hid in the closet upstairs
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 8 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 7 out of 10
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Check out ‘Electrical Living HERE!
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