There’s something triggering about the album cover of The Deflators’ ‘Check Your Pressure’ EP. I mean that half jokingly and half seriously. I don’t now about you but I dread when my tire pressure light comes on. I know it’s not a big deal and is an easy fix but the anxiety I feel surrounding turning on my car and seeing that damned light is insane so seeing this album cover gave me the urge to go check my car just in case it was an omen. Thankfully, it was not. The light isn’t on in my car which means I can devote some time to listening to this quick EP.
This EP kicks off with the track “Liar Liar”. You get a sense of what The Deflators are all about right away. This song has a solid rock n’ roll sound. Nothing more, nothing less. Sure, you could say that there are elements of punk and garage-rock laced throughout this song but, when looking at the big picture, this is just rock n’ roll and it’s perfect. It has a sense of unfinished grit but also comes off as a perfectly polished track. The Delators don’t try and do anything fancy in this opening track and that’s what makes it so perfect. Although I love epic solos and blast beats, I truly hope that the rest of this five song EP is more of this “simplified” rock n’ roll vibe.
The vibe continues into “I Need To Know” but this second track also brings something almost a bit more 80s styled to the sound of The Deflators. I really can’t tell if that’s due to the vocals or the guitar work throughout this track but, regardless, I’m here for it. There’s a timeless quality to this song because of that vibe making it feel like an instant classic. I’m not ready to call this my favorite song of the EP just yet but I am prepared to say that “I Need To Know” is a song that you just need to hear.
Charm. That’s the name of the game when it comes to “Clever Girl”. Sure, it’ obvious that there’s a sense of charm in the lyrics here. “You are such a clever girl / I can’t understand / What you see in a guy like me”. I mean, don’t sit there and try to tell me you don’t love those phrases. It’s just a sweet song and the more barebones approach to the instrumentation lets the message reign supreme throughout the song. Even though the vocals feel a bit dark tone-wise, they come with a playful energy that is just the icing on the cake to this amazing track. “Clever Girl” is definitely my favorite song on this release.
The optimism and playfulness of “Clever Girl” quickly gives way to a more punk edge and angsty lyrics when it comes to “It’s So Sad” but it’s just as amazing of a song. I honestly wasn’t expecting a political song from The Deflators just because I didn’t catch onto any hints of politics in the first three songs but I loved how they slipped this in there. As it should be, “It’s So Sad” is anthemic and powerful while still sticking to The Deflators’ understated sound and style. The message in this song is super important regardless of what side of the aisle you stand on. The final words, “Cuz in the end we’re all just one” are almost haunting but also a powerful sticking point to a truly staggering song.
I warned you that this was a quick listen. We are somehow already at the end with “SSLM”. Although I didn’t get the same ferocity in this final track like I did in “It’s So Sad”, I really liked how the band seemed to bring this EP full circle with this final track. It brings you back to that more straight-up rock n’ roll sound that kicked ‘Check Your Pressure’ off. Again, you can go ahead and add that there are elements of a little bit of everything in here but this song leaves you with a hooky chorus and a burst of energy just the way any good album should.
There’s something DIY feeling about ‘Check Your Pressure’ and The Deflators’ sound in general but there’s also something perfectly throughout about everything on this EP. I’m not sure how they did it but this band is clever and absolutely deserves your attention. I mean, come on, it’s only six songs, just give it a listen and then show The Deflators some appreciation!
Listen to ‘Check Your Pressure’ HERE!
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