Austin-based guitarist Chase Spruiell has gathered his bandmates once more (Mark Hawley on guitar, Nate Lugo on bass, and Gabe Garcia with drums) to create this newest album from up-and-coming indie punk rock band, Free Kittens & Bread. The jovial group’s newest effort, called American Miserablist, was released through Bad Wolf Recordings, and it is eleven short punkish songs that will give you the perfect amount of rush.
Standing opposed to the lighthearted humor of their band name, each song from the album is marked by some sad, ornate lyrics. It’s kind-of an emo alternative- a great break-up album that provides listeners with a good mix of slow and fast songs for any situation that might have one down, but without the screaming and all those not-always welcome emo trappings. That’s nice for those of us who don’t really get the emo thing, as that genre and country have a pretty good lockdown on the sentimental break-up racket, which just isn’t that fair. If nothing else, that alone is worth appreciating this excellent piece of local indie/folky/punky rock music.
If you’re going through a rough patch, give a listen below, and maybe set a few of those sorrows free with some music that gets where you’re at.
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Chandana Kamaraj