Girl at the Rock Shows

I was honestly a pretty good student all through school. I loved studying and low-key loved doing homework because it gave me something to do. I loved social studies and obviously loved all of my art classes. Science wasn’t quite my thing, but I had a teacher in high school with an attitude, which made me end up not hating it. That leaves math– the dreaded math. I sucked at it. I’m typically good at stuff with numbers, but it was the problem-solving and the solving for “x” that I never really got the hang of. I’m thankful that, even though teachers told us it would never happen, we all have a calculator in our pocket these days. Why am I taking you back to the days of school? The album I have to review for you is the self-titled album from Sexy Mathematics. I mean, there it is right there, an easy intro into this brilliant seven-song album.

This album kicks off with “Especially You”. I love how this song starts off fairly simply, but it builds into this gorgeous wall of sound that swallows you up whole. There’s definitely a subtle darkness in this song that reminds me a bit of The Cure and Smashing Pumpkins, but there’s also something bright and shiny about this opening track. It has me intrigued. I wouldn’t call it new-wave, but I would say that Sexy Mathematics’ sound, at least in this opening track, is very synth-heavy with a driving beat to it. That beat makes this opening track fly by, but have no fear; it flows perfectly into the next track.

There’s something almost spacey about “A Night to Remember” that I really like. It’s haunted but not torturous. Again, it’s that subtle darkness in Sexy Mathematics’ sound that had me hooked. The darkness in this second track doesn’t hit the same way as it did in the first song. For “A Night To Remember,” there’s a slight smokiness to the darkness. It’s almost a bit sultry and a bit sexy but without being too forward. It’s the kind of song that makes you want to grab your partner and sway. Sure, part of this is due to the lyrics about “A Night To Remember” but I think this feeling really comes from the song in general. The way the song fades out is another thing that I really liked. I thought the song was just going to stop as I watched the clock tick down on the track, but instead, Sexy Mathematics has this way of tying up all of the loose ends of this track in mere seconds while leaving you with a daydream-like ending.

“Boron” is the first time you really see the sensitive side of Sexy Mathematics, and it was instantly something I wanted more of. This song seems to expand on that indistinct love-song vibe that I got from the previous track. This third song is slow and deliberate but full of life. It honestly reminds me a bit of Blaqk Audio, but I know that’s a bit of an obscure reference, so for those who don’t know who that is, let me say that you have to hear this song to understand it. It’s the kind of track where each beat seeps deeper and deeper into your bones until you feel the song inside of you in such a magical way. “Boron” may not be the catchiest song on this album, but it definitely hit me the hardest.

“An Imitation” snaps you out of the mesmerizing world of “Boron” with a strong and powerful synth sound. Honestly, it felt a bit harsh after the dreamlike world that Sexy Mathematics had me in but this song doesn’t take long to even out into yet another signature track from this band. There’s something about the vocals in this song that makes it a bit more “mainstream” than the previous tracks. Don’t misunderstand; Sexy Mathematics is not a mainstream band; I know that; it’s just that there’s something almost commercial about the vocal styling in this song that leans it into that world in such a fascinating way. Those vocals mixed with this group’s unique instrumentation create such a cool juxtaposition in this song, making it one of those tracks you have to listen to a couple of times before you really understand it.

I was a bit confused as “Disappearer” took over my speakers. Did this band just turn into a punk band? The intro of this song has very punk-leaning drums but, within no time, those synths come in and take you into Sexy Mathematics weird world where you question if this is new-wave, straight-up rock n roll, alt-rock, or any combination of them all. This is another song where I felt like the soft and emotional vocals didn’t quite match the power and slight destruction of the instrumentation, but that’s the magic of this song. It keeps you on your toes as you don’t know which side of this track is going to have the last laugh when all is said and done. Nah-ah– I’m not going to tell you which side is the winner- listen to the track and you tell me!

“When Isometrics Collide” is the kind of song that, sure, you can listen to once, but honestly, you’ll end up going back to it in no time. This song is larger-than-life. Like many of the tracks on this album, the track seems to swallow you up in Sexy Mathematics’ world in an almost mystical way. Although the vocals have always stood out to me throughout this album, it wasn’t until this song that I really heard the genius of the lyrics. Again, I won’t give it away, but I will say that the lyrics alone made this nearly five-minute song feel like nothing more than a few seconds long. Add an epic yet not over-thought squealing guitar solo and you are left with one of my favorites off of this album.

This self-titled album ends with “Responsory.” This is definitely the slowest and most somber track on the album, but I love how it closes this out so perfectly. The slight ambiance and the lack of vocals throughout the entire song give you a chance to reflect on the journey that has been ‘Sexy Mathematics,’ and I feel like, after such an intriguing and unique listen, that’s precisely what you need. Although the last song on the album, “Responsory” still leaves some questions about this band. The first one that comes to mind for me is, “What comes next?”

Whether or not math was your thing in school, Sexy Mathematics’ self-titled album is for you. Don’t question me on this. There’s something for everyone here, and this is truly a larger-than-life kind of listen that will take you away from the stressful world you live in day to day and give you a fantasy place full of epic sounds, heartfelt lyrics, and passion.

Sexy Mathematics on Instagram

Sexy Mathematics on Facebook

Sexy Mathematics on YouTube

Sexy Mathematics on X

Shameless Self Promotion:

Follow my *NEW* Instagram HERE!

Join My Patreon Here!

Buy Me a Coffee (Seriously!)

Check Out My New Playlist With All of My Favorite Songs HERE!