‘Break Room’ by Milwaukee’s Fellow Kinsman hits ya like opening a window to let the summer breeze in after being trapped in a musty basement all winter. This collection of songs blends all the best parts of psych, surf, indie, and alternative rock, which the band calls “land-locked surf rock” and hits the eardrums like a splash of cold water on a hot July afternoon. Frontman Nate Kinsman and his tight-knit crew of creative buddies clearly mixed a heavy dose of pure sunshine into these tracks, delivering a vibe that makes you want to immediately drop whatever serious task you’re doing, grab a lawn chair, and crack open a cold beverage. It is loud, it’s loose, and it is a beautifully pandemoniac victory lap for a band that proved good things come to those who wait.
The sonic journey really kicks into gear with a few major standout tracks that demand to be played on repeat. First up is “Find A Way”, a jittery, sun-soaked jam that immediately glues itself to your brain while Kinsman’s hazy vocals effortlessly float over a bouncy rhythm. If that doesn’t get your hips moving, “Love Came Through” steps up the tempo to channel some seriously blissful, bleary dance-party energy. It delivers a catchy epiphany of self-acceptance, featuring the infectious lyrics: “Love is on the line, Is it for you, Never the wrong time, but misused, Love came through.” Then there is “Slasher”, an absolute trip of a track that takes a playful nod toward horror movie tropes but applies them to the everyday terror of making poor life choices. It brings a lighter, humorous edge to the album with the lines: “Don’t dare me to go in, Soft smile, the truth I’m choking, Are you ready or not?, Your feet froze just the same.
Between the tropical pedal steel licks, dreamy background vocals, and a rhythmic pulse that refuses to quit, on ‘Back Room‘ the band sounds like they are having the absolute time of their lives, which makes sense, considering they recorded it with their closest friends. It transitions beautifully from foot-stomping anthems to laid-back, interstellar grooves without ever losing its sense of humor or its heart. That untamed energy translates perfectly to the stage, too. Seeing them live this past Saturday at a completely sold-out Cactus Club proved that the album’s chaotic joy is the real deal. They absolutely blew the crowd away, delivering an amazing, high-octane performance that had fans literally hanging from the rafters. Do your ears a massive favor, take a literal break, put on ‘Break Room’, and let Fellow Kinsman inject some serious joy into your sunny days. This album fuckin’ rules.
Links of interest:
https://www.instagram.com/fellowkinsmanmke
https://fellowkinsman.bandcamp.com/album/break-room