Sleigh Bells, the Brooklyn duo comprised of musician and producer Derek Miller and singer-songwriter Alexis Krauss, hits hard yet again in their new album "Reign of Terror," which was released on Feb. 21. "Reign of Terror" is the second effort from Sleigh Bells a band inspired by the intensely in-your-face artist that signed them, M.I.A. following up on their 2010 album "Treats."
The band performed at the College for Friday Night Rock in 2009 when they were still under the radar, creating a campus craze around the song "Crown on the Ground." Since then, Sleigh Bells has achieved fame and popularity, not just at Dartmouth but all over. Their recent Feb. 18 performance on "Saturday Night Live" signifies that they are worth everyone's attention, so if you don't know them by now, you better listen in.
"Treats" was written mostly by Miller, but this time around on "Reign of Terror," Miller and Krauss collaborated on most of the album's tracks. The songs on "Reign of Terror" have more of a pop influence than those on "Treats," an influence that was definitely because of Krauss. Both albums are great in their own ways, but "Reign of Terror" shows the evolution of Sleigh Bells' sound and the direction in which they are heading.
Their music is not sweet, chewy and soft like the title of their first album implies but is actually sour, crunchy and raw. You could listen to Sleigh Bells' music now as they are creating innovative beats that speak to our generation mixing past 1980s pop/rock and present electro/noise influences but you can still listen to them years from now, as they are potentially the sound of the future.
Following the same format as "Treats" in terms of the number of tracks, there are 11 intriguing, loud and high-energy creations on "Reign of Terror." The opening track, "True Shred Guitar," begins with Krauss getting the crowd ready and amped during a live show. The song then shifts to Krauss shouting commands with explosive drumbeats and heavy guitar riffs, matching the energy of the lead single from the album "Treats," "Tell 'Em," and makes listeners feel like they want to live on the edge.
"True Shed Guitar" is the perfect introduction to the rest of the album, as the following track, "Born to Lose," is one of my favorites because of Krauss' echo-harmonies with herself against the rhythm. The rhythm sounds like it is shooting bullets at Krauss as she attempts to incorporate a melody on the track. Genius.
The tracks that caught my attention right off the bat on "Reign of Terror" were "End of the Line" and "Leader of the Pack," both of which reference the tragic death of Miller's father in a motorcycle accident. "End of the Line" is filled with mourning and a sort of delightful sadness that truly makes it a standout on the album. It is as if Krauss is singing the chorus directly into listeners' ears: "You know it didn't have to be this way, you know it didn't have to be. But it's the end of the line, so goodbye."
The first single on the album, "Comeback Kid," is a catchy track containing a "keep your head up" message that most people can relate to. Everyone loves to root for the underdog, and nothing satisfies me more than a great comeback, which Sleigh Bells plays off well as they are underdogs themselves.
My ears can somehow handle and appreciate both the "drum-gunned" beats and Krauss' extra soft, airy vocals, especially on the brilliant 1980s-influenced "Road to Hell" and the dragged out, trance-like "You Lost Me." In comparison to most of the album, which pulses with life, the last two tracks on "Reign of Terror" "Never Say Die" and "D.O.A." sound more like Krauss' jumbled cosmic dream of which listeners get to be a part. The feeling of their new album resembles how I felt about "Treats" as a whole, having no defined structure. I have a feeling that there will be more musical treats from this delicious duo coming our way.
