Rozwell Kid
Too Shabby


5.0
classic

Review

by VaxXi USER (35 Reviews)
February 17th, 2015 | 27 replies


Release Date: 2014 | Tracklist

Review Summary: When depression meets fun: Rozwell Kid produces an album that is anything but shabby

When the topic of sad music is brought up, the immediate idea a listener gets gravitates towards music with depressing lyrics and moody instrumentals. This is why most groups try to capture the feelings of sadness and depression in a mix of depressing lyrics and moody guitars. Though in Rozwell Kid’s case they do the complete opposite. Instead of writing about how death is dreadful or a girl being out of a no name’s life set to the beat of moody guitars they capture the feelings of confusion and uncertainty set to the beat of fun and upbeat 90’s pop rock. The constant clashing of a “I don’t care, it’s ok” attitude and the dreadful sense of “nothing is going to be alright” is heavy in this album, delivered in a balanced yet convoluted manner that captures what the emotion that sadness and depression can usually feel like.

"Simpsons season 3 and a thing of hummus, this is all I need. I'm like, super low-maintenance."

This is how the album opens in opening track Kangaroo Pocket, only to immediately follows up with the contradicting line, “Every now and then I wonder why, just a little bit.” The rest of the album follows suit with a collection of sarcastic, low-brow comments preceded by questions of confusion and uncertainty. “I say I’m sorry when I’m helping you out, I don’t know. I say I’m sorry when I open the door, I don’t know.” The words read like they’re flowing out of the mouth of a frustrated man, unsure about what to say or feel which is also reflected with the instrumental arrangements. They all bear an uncannily constant upbeat and poppy sound, with a mixture of catchy riffs and hooks that barely reflect the subject matter present in the song writing. This convoluted mixture of emotions feel almost too real, it’s where the beauty of Too Shabby shines. It’s an album that feels far more realistic than albums that designed to sound sad. It’s an album that welcomes it’s listeners in with relatable writing and fun sounds even if most of it sounds like nonsense. It’s flawed, it’s catchy, it’s moving, it’s incoherent, it’s consistent, it’s intriguing, it’s unwelcoming, and it’s all these things that make Too Shabby the one thing that many albums aren’t. This album is all human.



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Comments:Add a Comment 
VaxXi
February 17th 2015


4418 Comments


I was about due for a review, I hope this suffices.

You can stream, download, or buy this album here: https://brokenworldmedia.bandcamp.com/album/too-shabby

It's name your price, but this album is worth anything you can offer it, easily the most criminally underrated album of 2015.

pmmets07
February 17th 2015


5984 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

damn a 5. nice review tho.



really fun album and these guys were rad live. i'm seeing em again next weekend.

VaxXi
February 17th 2015


4418 Comments


I originally went for a 4/5, though the further I wrote the more I realized that I don't really have a single complaint about this album. It was also really difficult to write this without sounding like a 5.

HenchmanOfSanta
February 17th 2015


1994 Comments


Just saw these dudes opening for You Blew It! and Tiny Moving Parts. They are great Weezer worship but I can't even conceive of them being 5-worthy.

VaxXi
February 17th 2015


4418 Comments


I don't know man, this album just really speaks to me. I've been spinning it for a week or two and i'm just liking it way too much.

theNateman
February 17th 2015


3809 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Your recs inspired me to check this out, super glad I did. Great rev and pic Vaxx

VaxXi
March 2nd 2015


4418 Comments


Glad you liked the album, it's pretty Weezer heavy minus their synth work. Which makes it pretty accessible, which is why more people need to know about this album.

theNateman
March 10th 2015


3809 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

After listening to the LP several times, i'm picking up on some surfer blood influence as well

VaxXi
March 10th 2015


4418 Comments


Hm, I'd be lying if I said I've heard of surfer blood. Any album in particular from them that I should pick up?

loveisamixtape
March 10th 2015


12321 Comments


album rules. we played a show with them a week ago today and they were so good. definitely recommend seeing them live if you get the chance

VaxXi
March 10th 2015


4418 Comments


If they ever come to North Dakota I'm all for it.

dimsim3478
March 11th 2015


8987 Comments


new EP; free download

https://rozwellkid.bandcamp.com/album/good-graphics-ep

theNateman
March 11th 2015


3809 Comments

Album Rating: 3.0

Vaxx, Check out Surfer Blood's albums Pythons and Astrocoast. If you're as into weezer and this as you say, you'll definitely like them. Start with pythons, its the better record of the two

Radioheadmouse
May 16th 2015


2 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

Vaxx. This album is indeed fantastic, a perfect five for me too. I could see why a lot of people would not , considering it's simplicity and somewhat unoriginality. However, I've had this spinning in my cars CD player for a couple months now and it is the most fun and REAL album I've heard in a while. As conflicting as the album can be, I've never felt conflicted listening to it, I just always feel great. 5/5 for me because of the intangible way it makes you feel, not the tangible complexity or originality.

1Sopel6
November 17th 2015


69 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Album started and ended great, only lost some of it's momentum in between, but in overall it's a really nice album, I'm digging "Birthday Sombrero"

Damus
May 17th 2016


594 Comments


Anyone that likes this would love a now defunct band called Pachangacha, the album Weirdhead

heck
May 31st 2016


7088 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

this is a really fun album

LotusFlower
May 31st 2016


12000 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

throwback tuesday and this hyperbolic shit.



still a rocking album, mundane depression fun times will always be the best kind of music.

heck
May 31st 2016


7088 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

okay yeah I'm really liking this album a lot. I happened to find it while looking for catchy, power-poppy name-your-price indie rock type stuff and this is pretty much exactly what I had in mind. hittin all the right notes for me right now

Conmaniac
June 20th 2016


27676 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

this band is a straight up Pinkerton Weezer ripoff...and I kinda love it



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