Girl at the Rock Shows

German-Indie-Disco-Wave-Electro-Pop. I know that’s a mouthful but that’s what drew me to the band How To Loot Brazil. Honestly, that’s all the information I was given when asked to review ‘Joy To Be Had’ from How To Loot Brazil but, I mean, come on– how was I going to say no to something that came with that description?

This thirteen-song album kicks off with “Valley Girls” and with this opening track, you are instantly introduced to “German-Indie-Disco-Wave-Electro-Pop”. This opener seems to come at you at a frantic pace. The heavy yet subtle beat mixed with the electronic instrumentation and the disco-era styled vocals all mix to create a sound that will breathe so much life into you. There’s an intensity to this song that reminds me a bit of the happy hardcore scene that seems to be busting at the seams in the UK right now. As mentioned, it’s a frantic feeling yet something about the vocals keep this song from turning out of control or into “too much”. What a heck of a way to kick off an album.

“New People” seems to take a step back as far as intensity is concerned when compared to “Valley Girls”. This second song is just a bit lighter with the loss of the heavy beat that really seemed to drive the opening track while keeping the energy high. I liked how, although this definitely felt a bit more hollow, there’s still the same power behind this track. I also love the movement throughout this song. Just when you think you know where it’s going, the band changes it up on you leaving you on your toes throughout the three minute track. You can feel the group lean a bit more into the “indie” portion of their description ever so slightly here.

There’s something infectiously catchy and heartfelt about “Happy 2 Be Angry”, the next song on this album. The chorus is so catchy, upbeat and fun but you get a slight sense of heartbreak and angst in the vocals which made this a stand-out song for me. Although one of the shorter tracks on the album, How To Loot Brazil fills this song to the brim with an ebb and flow that, again, will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout this song.

You ever press play on a song and just instantly know that it’s going to be a hit? That’s what happened the second I hit play on “Lovesick Killjoy”. The opening lick just really had me hooked and then the vocals put my in a trance in a way. This is a signature move of How To Loot Brazil. Although all of these songs have such a danceable energy behind them, there’s also something almost mesmerizing about them as well and that couldn’t be more true about “Lovesick Killjoy”. This track was instantly a favorite of mine.

By the time “Tons of Entertainment” took over my house, I thought I had had this band pegged but this song changed it all. Although still infectiously catchy, there’s a sense of tenderness in this song that instantly wrapped around me like a cozy blanket and filled me up like a warm cup of coffee. Although I would stop short of calling this a commercial song as it still has How To Loot Brazil’s distinct and unique style behind it, there was something almost top-40 poppy about this track that I really liked. This vibe leaks into “Time Flies”, the sixth track on this album. This track stands out for many reasons but one of the main ones is the addition of male vocals that brings a sense of layering to the vocals that mirrors everything happening in the instrumentation. Although I love the female vocals, I really liked the depth that this new addition brought to this song.

Just when I started to get lost in poppy la-la land, “Coldest Shoulder Ever” hit me and brought me back to a dark basement EDM club with it’s almost industrial influence. This is another frantic feeling song but, in the genius of How To Loot Brazil, the track never turns into being out of control in any way. Another showing of this band’s genius is the way the frantic energy of this track is stopped abruptly by the dainty opening of “Dithered” before the eighth track moves into an almost trance-infused techno bop. Really, the movement in each of these songs in addition to the way that each song flows into and out of each other. “Dithered” lacks the same amount and style of vocals but I love that this song acts as a bit of a palate cleanser before “902”.

“902” slows things down again and brings an almost sultry vibe to this album that I had yet to pick up on. Don’t worry, this song is still absolutely infectious with a heavy beat but there’s just a smokey quality to the vocals and the words being sung that makes this one stand out. The amount of emotion that comes through here is as deafening as the over all sound making it one of those tracks that is just so easy to get lost in. So easy in fact that it felt like I was being shaken out of a dream as the album moved onto “Records”. Again, this isn’t the fast track on the album but the beat comes through a bit stronger than in “902” making it a stark yet genius and well done transition.

I have to be honest, by the time “Records” (the tenth track on this album) took over my speakers, I found myself lost for more words. The album is very much that German-Indie-Disco-Wave-Electro-Pop through and through with some elements popping out more than others depending on the track. Throughout “Records” and “Clouds”, I just found myself sitting back and letting the sound take me over. Sure, you call it redundant and maybe that’s why I find myself lost for words but I feel like that description has such a negative connotation to it and that’s not what I’m trying to convey. How To Loot Brazil has such a strong sound and sense of self to the point where all of the songs start to blend together. This left me a bit lost for words until “Bluebells & Daisies” started.

It wasn’t until this twelfth song where I finally started paying attention to the lyrics (I know, I’m late to the party here but the overall beats of all of these songs are just so strong that it makes it hard to focus on much else). “Bluebells & Daisies” spoke to my soul within the first line. “Oh my God/ Tell me what to do/ I’m so tired of talking to people like you/ And I don’t care if what you say is true/ All I care about is…” Then the lyrics start listing off things that I too care more about than what other people say. Put on top of a catchy track, this was another instant favorite of mine.

Bringing ‘Joy to Be Had’ to a triumphant ending is “Not the 80s”. This ironic song has a lot of 80s elements that were there throughout the previous twelve songs but, due to the song title, I feel like I was really looking for them here. Another track that is firmly situated in How to Loot Brazil’s world, “Not the 80s” is a great ending because it has so many elements previously heard swirling throughout the album yet seems to really tie some loose ends up at the same time.

Long Story Short: ‘Joy to Be Had’ from How To Loot Brazil is a vibe through and through. If you’re not a fan of electronic dance music and don’t like heavy beats that persist throughout multiple tracks, this will not be the album for you. If you’re like me and like all kinds of music, you will find this album super refreshing and fun but, after a while, may find it to be a bit redundant. If dance music is your thing– pump up the volume- ‘Joy to Be Had’ is a perfect slice of nostalgic disco-era glam with a heavier industrial influence making it a stand out release.

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