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Review Summary: Don’t ask why, ask whyohwhy not? It’s strange how much you can miss about a piece of music upon first listen. Perhaps that’s a funny thing to say at the beginning of a review for an album which came out about a week ago, but it feels right. Czech band whyohwhy’s debut LP first entered my eardrums quite recently, to a muted initial reaction of “hey, this is kinda pretty”. Since that time, I’ve felt myself drawn back to it time after time, and my sense of the album’s quality has bloomed more and more.
Perhaps Bruises is an easy album to overlook. Built upon a delicate foundation of slow-paced dream pop, moody slowcore, and sparse folk, the music is rather accessible on a surface level, but delicate enough in execution that immersion is necessary to fully appreciate its charms. But charms there are a-plenty. Opener “Return” manages to feel both subdued and lush, while sliding flawlessly into a dramatic climax featuring autotuned (no, the good kind, fear not) vocals to great effect. “River Styx”, meanwhile, ups the tempo a bit with a more adventurous musical backdrop while allowing the beautiful reedy singing to shine (the vocals “slaying for days” is a bit of a theme here). Then there’s “Tangerines”, which features almost-dancey guitar work which nonetheless fits into a rather sinister mood.
I mention those three songs in particular mostly so those readers not completely sold can dip their toes in to see what Bruises is about, because all nine tracks here manage to deliver wonderfully upon whyohwhy’s restrained but gorgeous vision. This is a satisfying record which manages to come together as an organic whole while not sacrificing the necessity of tunes which can stand proudly on their own. In short, if you’re wondering whether this album is worth a listen, don’t ask why, ask whyohwhy not?
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Album Rating: 4.0
Very under-the-radar album which grows and grows and grows - thanks to user someone for bringing this to my attention by posting about it on Dewi's list.
Jespercore alert!
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
SO happy to see this reviewed, great rec indeed. Somehow I knew you would review it when I saw your rating Sunny, it was either gonna be you or me XD
Very good album, don't miss this one folks.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Thanks Dewi! I was glad to see your high score for this as well.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
opener is nice, but lol anyone who can give those perfectly okay autotuned vocal stylings the not-like-the-other-girls treatment needs to be real with themselves about the effect more generally
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
*takes notes*
"I have to get real with myself about the effect more generally"
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
quickest way to get the stick out of your arse re. use of autotune in pop or rap is to make it 50% through this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0re1BadXc60
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0re1BadXc60"
slaps
| | | Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off
yay for local representation
| | | Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off
also, what exactly is on the cover? i figured part of it is a human back, but there is some beard hair or pubic growth around it or sth. i can't wrap my head around it.
| | | Album Rating: 3.8
I AM HERE
so stoked to give this a listen hell yeah
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whyohwhy didn't I take the BLUE pill
| | | Album Rating: 3.8
this is lovely, big dollanganger vibes
| | | Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off
That's a great comparison, actually
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
@Johnny, haha, fair enough. I will say my "tolerance" of autotune has grown over the years, but didn't expect to find it working so well on this type of album (both on the opener and at other points where it's featured).
@someone, no idea what the album art is supposed to portray either.
| | | Album Rating: 3.5
Good album and I am really liking Flood and the folkier elements are really cool and different but I am not so sure what I think about the vocals yet. Still, I can see this growing on me.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off
that average makes me happy
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Wow I'm in shock, two days back I was at this album's release gig (tiny club in Prague, about 60 people or so), now I'm sitting here in a new whyohwhy t-shirt and all of a sudden I see Bruises on the sputnik front page? Nice job @someone and thank you for the review @Sunny! They are amazing, I am so happy to see this one of all the local bands to get represented here. Been waiting for the record since River Styx dropped last summer. I wasn't sure about the autotunes either but now I think it is what makes them really unique. Band is super nice too, beautiful and humble people.
| | | Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off
I missed the release party on Friday, cause I had to work at a different tiny club in Prague. Kinda bummed
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
TBH, soundguy in Punctum didn't do a really good job on Friday, but the atmosphere was still magnificent. Hope you catch them next time!
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Bout 2 jam this so ahrd right now.
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