Melanie Wilcox | January 1, 2015

1990s child finds so much of this album rooted in the 1990s grunge scene. Still, it’s hard to deny the classic rock feel that resonates throughout the six-song release.

 

Fireball of Sulk opens with “Blankets in the Sun,” an interesting combination of 1990s alternative with 1960s melodies. From the moment I hit play, the song conjured up feelings of nostalgia. The intro is reminiscent of the mid-1990s, an era dominated by flannel shirts and bands like Superdrag and Marcy Playground who bridged the gap between early 1990s grunge and the catchy alternative rock that would precede Y2K. In fact, Superdrag was the first thing that popped into my head when I heard this song, though there’s a laziness to the vocals and a slower melody that isn’t quite characteristic of that comparison. The laziness is heard in the drawn-out chorus: “Lazy Jane / Caught in the rain.” But there’s a 1960s vibe prevalent in the swinging lazy Jane lyrics, and this song marks the first time I’ve ever heard the two decades mesh together so perfectly – though, thanks to the following tracks, it’s certainly not the last.

 

Next on the album is “Weird One,” a catchy song whose title expresses a prevalent 1990s theme: feeling like an outsider. The track definitely strikes a mid-1990s chord while almost slipping back in to the grunge era. It actually sounds like something from a 1990s teen movie – one of the edgier ones, of course – like Varsity Blues or Disturbing Behavior. After all, the song is about being weird. If you ever listened to Marcy Playground’s debut self-titled album beyond their hit “Sex and Candy,” you’ll hear distinct similarities between that and “Weird One,” from the tempo to the melody, though the vocals here are an unusual hybrid of Billy Corgan and Ozzy Osbourne. The song’s catchy melody and 1990s sensibilities make me want to sing this song every time I get in the car, even if I sound nothing like the aforementioned singers. And even if you don’t know the words, there’s some classic “Ooh, ooh, oohs” in the middle to tie into the band’s classic rock sound.

 

Although the slower tempo prevents it from being my favorite, “Marshmallow Mouth” is easily one of the most polished and interesting tracks on the album. The vocals are distinctively lower, and any doubts you may have about the comparison to Ozzy should go out the window when you hear this song. It’s another one that has a bit of a grunge influence, but the moody, angst-ridden lyrics feel more like the Smashing Pumpkins than anything. The song is much heavier than I’m used to, and it reminds me of the “diet metal” (as I call it) I’ve listened to in the past. “Marshmallow Mouth” isn’t necessarily the type of song I would run to listen to, but it has the most depth and invokes the most feeling. Quivering vocals which teeter between monotone and steadily trancelike create a melodic atmosphere that’s easy to get lost in.

 

Unsurprisingly, these first three songs, which are my favorites, are the most reminiscent of the 1990s; after “Marshmallow Mouth,” the album takes a turn for the classic rock side of the spectrum. From the energetic “Don’t Cry to Me,” a song which employs 1960s upbeat sounds, to the melodic guitar riffs of “In a Number,” classic rock fans will want to push through the first have to get to these last three tracks. However, the entire album is a fun listen for fans of either era, because Buffalo Killers do an amazing job of combining the two genres.

 

Fireball of Sulk came out on November 24, just in time to be the soundtrack for your holiday travels. The band will be touring throughout Ohio and Tennessee to promote their new album, and fans can check out their website or Facebook for tour information and music.