Funeral Lakes: Golden Season EP (2020) Review

I remember to have received a music submission in my e-mail on New Year's Eve 2019 from a Toronto-based duo Funeral Lakes consisting of Chris Hemer and Sam Mishos. I've found their submission quite a coincidence since I had them under the radar for sometime but due to reasons unknown ended up not reviewing their seductive, socially provocative, dreamy, dark and much acclaimed debut album. 

Funeral Lakes offer the listener a sonic aesthetic that ranges from indie-folk to indie-punk and folk rock which quite inevitably bring to mind Typhoon's "White Lighter" album as well as Arcade Fire namely their 2003 eponymous EP and "Funeral" album but one can also spot some Neil Young, Talking Heads, Bikini Kill and Airborne Toxic Event. 

Last month the band released their new album, a three song EP of electrifying, politically committed music wrapped up with some of the finest lyrics one can find.

The EP opens with the sophisticated indie folk piece that is Eternal Return. The song is some sort of slow burner that keeps a moderate pace until it grows into a final catharsis illustrative of the ongoing frustration of the state of contemporary politics which leads to Earth Falls the undeniable hit song the EP delivering some vicious keyboard retro sounds, steady rhythm section, addictive bass line and sweet vocals that blend awesomely with the collapse of the world as we supposedly know it along with the inevitable destruction of Earth's ecosystem but before we're irrevocably doomed and everything falls apart there is still time for the tempestuous, high energetic, undisguised anger of Power Trip the closing song of Golden Season EP. This is song could easily become a punk anthem fuelled by the great enraged vocals and the impassioned frenetic guitars. 

In overall Golden Season turns out to be one of the most enjoyable, relevant EPs of the year with three masterfully crafted songs. Very well done! 

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8/10 

Songs For Sabotage: "Night of Joy" Album Review (2020)

Some people say that the best things happen accidentally. That's what probably occurred to Lina Sophie and Richey Rose when they met out of the blue at a Brooklyn bar four years ago and connected through a mutual love for 80s post-punk, goth and 90s grunge but also their genuine interest for Swedish indie, alternative music scene. 

Songs for Sabotage officially formed in 2019 and are named after the New Museum 4th Triennial exhibition of the same name. A year later due to COVID spread, they moved to Lexington (KY) where their debut album was finished, and appropriately titled Night of Joy after the Brooklyn bar where their bond started. 

Night of Joy kicks in smoothly but once it kicks in it becomes infectiously addictive in a haze of the most modern classic 80s Post-Punk and Goth sonic aesthetic that one can come across and it works superbly with their Swedish crush that allow to perceive the presence of Acid House Kings, The Cardigans and Radio Dept. 

Night of Joy offers a pallette of masterfully crafted tunes with delightful bass lines, melodic guitar patterns that bring to mind Johnny Marr but also exploding guitar choruses bringing to mind the energy of The Joy Formidable and gorgeous, clean, pop vocals reminding Nina Persson. The outcome of SFS debut album is a handful of great songs such like Sabotage, Urgency, Metal or Drifting. The album closes with a stunning, vibrant, electrifying cover of Peter Murphy's "Cuts You Up" which highlights the idiosyncrasy of the whole album. 

In the middle of the COVID pandemic Songs for Sabotage should be highly praised for releasing a great album in these difficult, weird, challenging times we're living in and which can work out as gasoline for SFS future releases. 

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8/10 

SEPTEMBER BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#114]: Idles - Ultra Mono

INDIEVOTION RATING: 9/10

SEPTEMBER BEST ALBUMS 2020 [#126]: Death Bells - New Signs Of Life

INDIEVOTION RATING: 8.5/10