WALK THE MOON may be the most adorable band I have featured. I love Sleeperstar, Lady Danville is no longer a band (so they can no longer be the most adorable), Foxy Shazam is cute in an oddball sort of way, and Walk off the Earth and Ra Ra Riot are full of amazing musicians and great lyrics, but you just can't get better than a quartet of lovable guys from the midwest who are set on making their dreams as musicians come true.
The band released their most recent EP, Tightrope, this week; it features six songs, two of which are new (the other four songs include a cover of Talking Head's "Burning Down the House", a re-release of "Tightrope" and "Anywayican", and an acoustic version of "Tightrope").
"Tightrope" opens with a great guitar riff and electronic/pop beat that will have you convinced that this song is great, even before Petricca chimes in with "easy now, with my heart". Though we've been hearing this song since the Anna Sun EP was released, it's still a really great song. The only thing better than "Tightrope" finally getting it's chance to be showcased on an album (out from under the shadow created by the greatness of "Anna Sun") is the inclusion of an acoustic version of "Tightrope" on this EP; it's really something amazing.
"Anywayican" begins with only Petricca's vocals and the always cute lyrics that WALK THE MOON is so great at creating. Lyrics like "I can't frown long with your face in my head, too too long since I had a smile on my head" and "I asked you if we were gonna make it, make it all the way, you said no" make this song cute enough that it had to be re-released in order to get more attention from any new fans of the band.
"Tete-A-Tete" just sounds like a 'classic' WALK THE MOON song; it's great. It has a swirling melody, a strong guitar riff and drum beat that make you want to dance around, and good lyrics that are just asking to be sung along to. An opening line that states "love is so irrational, the more we fight the less I know" and a chorus which claims "I want you just as bad, just as bad as I always have" make this song just as great as all of their others.
"Drunk In the Woods" sounds a little more experimental than most of their songs, but it is no less great. The composition fits these lyrics perfectly, only becoming better as the song progresses. Though this song may sound different from the other songs WALK THE MOON has released in the past, it's a really amazing work of art and I can't stop listening to it.
The band's version of "Burning Down the House" maintains the same upbeat and fun sound which was so central to the original by Talking Heads, but twists it from an '80's pop song to an indie pop song; somehow, the band manages to make this cover sound even more fun and 'danceable' than the original was.
WALK THE MOON is already working on their next full length album, but there is no set release date yet as the band is still on tour and does not plan to make it to the studio until sometime this spring.
- E
