If what you hear here is what you get live, Brooklyn's Teen is an act to put on your summer concert calendar (easy for me, they'll be in town next week). The tracks on their new Carolina EP were crafted to be played live, so the instrumentation is more direct than the layered noise pop of their 2012 LP, Limbo. But the rewards for the listener are no less. The band is an energetic, cohesive machine and Teeny Lieberson's vocals may bring to mind Kate Bush. And there is a certain appealing swagger to Carolina. Not an "in your face" swagger, but a "look at what we can do" swagger. And such confidence is well earned as Teen displays impressive versatility over the course of five tracks.
The lead track is dense, urgent post punk track, while "Circus" bears the upbeat rhythms and variety suggested by its title. "Cannibal" is an unassuming gem -- a pop delight hiding behind a frightening name. "Glass Cage" is a musical cornucopia with dream pop, and some sludgy post punk. The psychedelic "Paradise" (stream available below) may be the most fully realized track on the EP, with vocals, keys and guitar swirling around a rubbery bass and driving percussion. What Carolina shows us is that we may not be able to predict what Teen will do next, but that it will be worth listening to.
Teen is Teeny Lieberson (vocals and multiple instruments), Lizzie Lieberson (keys), Katherine Lieberson (drums) and Jane Herships (bass).
Carolina EP was released on May 28 on Carpark Records. Teen is touring now to support the EP. Many of the shows are on the same bill as Eleanor Friedberger, whose new album also is worth your time.
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Twitter ( @_T_E_E_N_ )
Carpark Records
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