Slothbear
Qids
(Unsigned)

More and more frequently, indie bands are boldly giving their music away for free. For this reason, among others, you should check out Slothbear’s new album, Qids. (But if you like what you hear—and I bet you will—it would probably be a good idea to throw a few dollars their way.)

With an alternative style that resembles the energy and upbeat sensibility of bands like Teenage Fanclub or a mellow Oxford Collapse, Slothbear manages to stay danceable without sounding repetitive. The band’s overall sound is driven by steady drums and guitars that complement one another, which create a back-to-basics approach untouched by digital distortion or overbearing synth.

Slothbear also has a flare for clever lyrics. For instance, “Spacey” includes quirky rhymes such as “Well whether worms or Jesus/Or something more egregious/You spend mankind wondering where you’ll go/Well in the end you’ll never even know.”

Profanities are thrown in playfully, almost to offset more intellectual phrases like “miasmal monsoons.” At times, the band seems to prefer creating crazy, clever sounds and rhymes, and other times their lyrics and overall sound is a bit more high-brow. Each of these aspects, however, work together to create songs that are very colorful and just plain fun to listen to.