Lady Bones

Dying (2015)

RENALDO69

Lady Bones are something I only recently caught wind of and very quickly, I found myself hooked on their discography. They offer a lighthearted take on indie-rock but as poppy as they get at times, there are a lot of post-rock and grunge undertones, swirling around -- very subtly so on Dying. In fact, they've gone to the more serious ends of the indie spectrum as years elapsed, making music for grown-ups with a sharper and more realistic edge. Even if you never heard them before, this is a great point to get acquainted because it's their best work to date. Great lyrics, a powerful musical drive and a catchy sensibility that'll surely have more people taking notes.

"Wet" and "24 Hour Party Girl" are breezy, melodic jams with hints of Brit-pop to them, all packed with thick crunchy bass-lines, which in all fairness are the engine of so many songs on this record. There's a mature, old-school rock vibe to them and these are songs that make sense of the grunge-pop term many have used to describe the band. It shows said transition from the lighter tones to a much more adult-oriented rock style. "Botch" is another lovely exposition, starting off bleak with a single drum beat topped by a mesmerising bass-line, which could have been even better had the rhythm been kept throughout. It gets grungy and dirtier, which doesn't take away from it as you embrace their version of distortion and noise, but still, when they keep things low-tempo, that's when they're often pounced to make more impact. They creep up on you more and show that they're a band which goes down better as a slow-burn at dusk.

They give off a weathered, seasoned aura and it's very much appreciated. As a debut full-length record, Dying brings to life their Boston experiences and most of the tracks are very inviting, allowing you to immerse yourself in their stories. They feel subdued yet telling and as they vary their temperament throughout, you can't help but embrace their raspy tunes. "Amen Dead Friend" is a very haunting closer to end on but it's a song about death (as the album implies) slowly grating away at you with a beautiful melody, but reminding you of that which is constant and inevitable. And that's what Lady Bones do. They make music that's anything but forgettable and which'll have you wondering where the fuck Boston was hiding them.