I continue to be impressed by fuzzed out Savannah pop act Triathalon. Nothing Bothers
Me is the follow-up to their very enjoyable 2014 album Lo Tide, and it sees the
band continuing to play with their lo-fi Motown meets shoegaze sonic pallet.
Mellow Moves kicks the album off with scattered drumming an droning keys which wander
for a bit, then it pops and there is that catchy twangy guitar, a nice head bopping beat, and the voice
kind of echoed. Towards the end, the tune moves into a more frantic pace with them humming
furiously. How does fast humming, and how does it work in the context of this song? I dunno, but they
manage to pull it off.
It's You is a laconic song, the guitar slow picked with lots of crisp echo and the bass thunks a
nice loping beat as the drums are scattered. The vocals are falsetto and slow, as this song kind of
grooves along.
On Fantasy Jam there is a really great bass riff, something from late 1960s era jazz, a
misplaced little riff paired here with a Maurice Deebank guitar line and some steady drumming. This is a
fun instrumental that sparkles along. Ways is similar: the guitar echoed and happy and chiming,
the rhythm consistent and monotonous, and the voice a high pitched warble.
Chill Out is a light little tune, the guitar gridding out a happy riff while the voice falsettos and
the rhythm section rolls along happily.
The next tune, Slip'n starts off painfully slow, the voice stretched while the guitar tinkles
lethargically. It's a seven minute song though, and it grows into a rollicking farce, the guitar distorted
and grinding while still chiming on the choruses. It's a fever dream a of a song, and it reminds me a little
of Deerhunter.
The drummer goes very jazzy on I Don't Know as the guitar picks a slow riff and keys burble.
The voice is slowed down, deeper than usual.
But Step Into The Dark picks the pace back up. The guitar really soars above chugging bass
and thudding drums. In the middle it gets a little Police on us as Triathalon jam out for a bit, the
drummer and guitarist going all crazy like one of those weird tracks in the middle of any Police album.
This is another fun instrumental.
The bassist really outdoes himself on Nothing Bothers Me where he plays a lovely little riff
that reminds me of the early work of The Ocean Blue.
And finally Triathalon bring in a sax for the lethargic Take It Easy. The sax just makes this song
slow and happy and relaxing, and damned lovely.
This album is shimmering, bright, and happy. It is a record for sunny days spent lounging around.
Triathalon continue to impress.
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