Treats

Sleigh Bells
Treats
9.5 out of 10

My one regret at Coachella this year was not going to see Sleigh Bells. I hadn't heard anything by them and only had them on my radar due to the insistence of my friend Steve and a huge roar of Internet buzz. When the conflicts proved too difficult, Sleigh Bells were an unfortunate cast off. After seeing the clips from the show posted on Youtube, I was amazed at how two people could create such a bone crushing wall of noise. Live it is just a guitarist and singer and a mess of drum machine beats. Fortunately, they are playing in Atlanta in July and I will finally get to see them. Really excited about it.

Treats is an amazing debut cd along the lines (for me at any rate) with Suede, Blue Lines, The Smiths, and Entroducing...; albums that were singular in their vision and encapsulated a perfect starting point in charting a band's trajectory. Taking a very simple template (vocals, guitars, drum machines), Sleigh Bells sounds like no one else and creates an amazingly loud sound for only two people.

First single and track on the album "Tell 'Em" gets things started off right with wailing siren-like guitars, pummelling drum beats, and cheerleader like vocals.



There are so many amazing singles on this album it is astonishing. Each one takes the same template and bends and molds it to its own distinct place.







This is not to say that the album is one note. Sleigh Bells takes the time to slow things down on occasion, as with the mid point of the album, on songs such as "Rachel" and "Run the Heart."





The cd is all energy and attitude and just full of life. It literally blew me away the first time I heard it because it was almost perfect in everyway. Their sound is minimal enough (yet completely full and overwhelming) to allow for many more stylistic adventures down the road. Sleigh Bells is exciting to watch and listen to, and their debut is indeed full of treats.