Wavves
Afraid of Heights
(Mom + Pop Music)

Afraid of Heights, the new album by the San Diego-based band Wavves, is aggressively depressive grunge-core poetics hoisted upon the brawny shoulders of scratchy guitars, wickedly tight drums and charismatic vocals. An emotional silver lining is a hard-sparkling diamond to find, but the music remains brighter against a to-hell-with-it kind of cool. “Demon to Lean On” runs heavy on that chaotic, downtrodden formula, while “Sail To The Sun” begins with Christmas holiday-rific bells and chimes that slowly erupt into a slick, fast-tempo surf punk protest. “Dog” moves with a mystic morning-after tale of submission, while the doomed but buoyant title track dissolves into a tale of loneliness and criticism against a flurry of hazy rock guitars while featuring Jenny Lewis. Interestingly enough, Wavves makes a memorable appearance on the brilliant electro rock fuzz “Shoes For Running.” The song can be found on legendary rapper and Outkast’s Big Boi’s latest album, Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors, also featuring B.o.B on the track.