Review by Dom Vigil
It is safe to say that Little Tybee’s upcoming fourth album is quite possibly the most ambitious, unique and well written release this year, if not in the past five years. If you haven’t had the chance to listen to this incredibly talented sextet yet, now is the time to start paying attention. Stunning vocal work floats perfectly alongside violin, jazzy drum and bass and intricate guitar to create a well-oiled machine that does not stop for twelve stunning tracks.
The warm and inviting “Loaves of Bread” opens the album, and within moments, you’re sure to understand exactly what I’m talking about. The vocal work on this track is soothing and soft, coaxing you into relaxation while instrumentally, the song is is an assault on all of the senses. Guitarist Josh Martin wastes no time introducing his trademark intricate guitar work alongside beautiful strings, and while there is quite a bit going on musically, it never once feels like too much. “Loaves of Bread” is soft and light hearted, each instrument working perfectly together. It’s the perfect taste test for the rest of this stunning album.
“Don’t Quit Your Day Job” comes in second, and it’s hard not to find the title of the song at least a little bit ironic, considering it hosts some of the best and most complex instrumentation on the album. You’ll want to listen to this track a few times over just to pick apart each different instrument and really appreciate how well they all flow together. It’s actually pretty insane how Little Tybee manage to do it so effortlessly. The guitar work and vocals in the following track, “More Like Jason” are absolutely gorgeous, but it’s when the song completely changes mood and tempo that it really shines. The song is catchy and just the perfect amount of weird, the guitar work taking on a video game-like sound compared to the very polished sound from the beginning.
While this album is full of standout tracks, there are some songs that really do shine above others. “Golden Delilah” slows things down a little bit nearly halfway through, feeling like a summertime love song. But even the bass heavy slow song hosts some subtle yet incredible guitar work. Martin’s signature “glitch tapping” does take a backseat to stunning string instruments, but listen carefully – you can still hear the stuttering guitar in the background. On the opposite side of the spectrum, “As We Grow” is very guitar and bass driven right off the bat. Then, where “As We Grow” is very high energy and ambitious, “Languid” is very soft and flowing, a perfect reflection of the song’s title.
Softer acoustic songs like “Abby” and the beautiful “Empire State,” which grows and becomes bigger right up until the end bring the album to a close, and on the perfect note, proving Little Tybee’s diversity while making listeners excited for what’s to come for this talented group of musicians. It’s so easy, especially on songs like “Empire State,” to close your eyes and get lost in the music, making Little Tybee’s fourth album an incredible release. This album is easily one of the strongest so far this year.
Rating: 5/5
Listen to “More Like Jason”
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