Review by Dom Vigil
Bleeker’s new album, Erase You is full of an undeniable swagger and groove that will shake you to your core and leave you wanting more long after it comes to an end. With catchy guitar hooks, spectacular vocal work and a gritty, fun loving sound that makes you want to move, Bleeker have easily crafted eleven timeless and energetic tracks.
Erase You’s opening track lures you in with catchy guitar work and keeps you around with an infectious chorus – something that quickly becomes a staple for this album. The first track is high energy and groovy, and the only thing that makes me a bit hesitant is the distorted vocals, but by the time “Free” comes in, all doubts go right out the window. Vocally, things are much more crisp and clean on “Free,” as they are also the driving force behind the song. Although the guitar work is still very strong and the pounding drums keep things moving forward, the vocals are what really carry “Free.”
The incredible guitar work and larger than life vocals quickly become one of the strongest aspects of Erase You as the album progresses forward. Track after track, vocalist Taylor Perkins delivers again and again, and the band seems to work together as a well-oiled machine. In “Getting Out” specifically, the guitar wails alongside the vocals while bass and drums provide a very strong backbone, making the song chug along easily. The only downside as the album continues forward is that the energy of many of these songs tends to feel very similar. While Erase You is definitely larger than life, there aren’t any big, unique moments until “I’m Not Laughing Now,” which surprisingly stands out because of its softer and slower sound compared to the first four songs. “I’m Not Laughing Now” gives listeners a glimpse into a softer side of Bleeker and gives the album quite a bit of much needed depth and emotion.
A few songs later, the band really shines on their cover of Elvis Costello’s “Radio Radio,” which honestly feels it was made specifically for their sound. Bleeker do an incredible job of paying homage to the original track while capturing the young, fun loving spirit behind Erase You. After “Radio Radio” is where things really start to get interesting, too. The following song, “Where’s Your Money” is massive, and stands apart from the rest of the album in the best way possible. While the song still has that same grungy, fun loving sound as the songs that come before it, it does an incredible job building energy and showcasing Perkins’ impressive vocal range in the higher vocal work.
Showing even more diversity from Bleeker is the emotional and vulnerable track, “Emergency,” and the following “Close My Eyes.” Although “Emergency” still features a very full band sound, it slows things down considerably, the vocals and lyrics taking the forefront. “Close My Eyes” contrasts beautifully, kicking off with somber piano before building into an anthemic chorus as Perkins wails, “I’m going to climb on top of the world tonight.” Then, bringing things to a strong close is easily one of the most diverse and confident songs on the album, “Every Time You Call.” Not only is this final track practically oozing swagger and confidence, but it also catches you off guard when it drastically changes pace halfway through, proving that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Bleeker. Erase You may be high energy, groovy and fun loving on the surface, but when you dig a little deeper, you’ll find something that will keep you listening for much more than just a good time. The sound on this album is not only timeless, but the emotions are real and the energy is palpable, making for an incredible listen.
Rating: 4.5/5
Listen to “Where’s Your Money”
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