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TEXIS

Spike Sidor
Sleigh Bells Texis Review Album Cover

SLEIGH BELLS

2021 NOISE-POP

Texis is the fifth full length record from the ever emphatic Sleigh Bells.  The duo is, in my mind at least, infamous for their sound. There is no other band that stomps down the line between unbearable obnoxiousness and earworm brilliance like they do. They’ve been at it now for over a decade, more often than not being on the worse end of their tendencies, but then was their last album, Jessica Rabbit. Totally over the top, totally outrageous, totally irresistible. I love Jessica Rabbit, it’s no guilty pleasure or any other similarly bullshit terminology. The pop vocals, the blaring synths and guitars; it’s a riot and showed the band expanding style. Rather than simply big loud noise-pop they covered a wider range with quiet and mid-paced pieces, the addition of glitchy noises, even piano and strings. It’s this rounding of their sound that made it a much more enjoyable listen.

Texis has the band moving backwards with one straightforward giant swing at the “pop banger” label after another. The vocals are ludicrous and as far forward and the mix as possible with the kind of instrumental that are the band’s bread and butter. Everything is so safe, it’s what the band knows and at a level of quality that just reaches the level of okay. I still can’t figure out if I like the lead single Locust Laced or not. It titters on their aforementioned line so hard that on one listen I’m annoyed at its incessant chorus and horrific instrumental passages, and the next entranced by the middle eastern tones and singing the once maligned chorus. I’ll split down the middle and say it’s mediocre. The production on Justine Go Genesis is terrific but the lyrics and thus vocals are irritating as all else. Tennessee Tips takes the vocals down a notch with a switch up of delivery that is very welcome, the chorus is satisfying and doesn’t ruthlessly beat you over the head for once. After that it’s hard to pick out memorable moments even after several more listens than it deserved. Sleigh Bells clearly still have all the energy in the world. I just wish they didn’t channel it into an experience that gave me a headache and left me unamused.

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