Yabadum - Careful Kid

(Guest review by Tom, in his first post for Lines In Wax!) 

Buried deep beneath the sedimentary layers of this wasteland we call a musical landscape, there is a carved plateau in which six unscathed gems wait to be excavated. 

After a few days of digging around Spotify radio playlists, I hit gold… or diamond. Unlike the previous releases that these four New Yorkers have put forth DIY, the 2014 EP - Careful Kid - was recorded in an actual studio (Room 17). The clarity shines through with space age synths and upbeat jazz tones melodically intertwining around Horvarth’s cheerful, yet thought provoking lyrical jamboree. It shoves feel-good emotions down your throat until you're shitting pure happiness.

The first song to grace my ears was "Winter"; the opening synth line left me confused - “What's Spotify subjecting me to now?” I thought, but I gave it a chance. The more the song progressed, the more I understood what this band are all about. The prominent, silky jazz synth and guitars caught my attention as it came in with the smooth vocals. “Funky.” I said to my kettle (I was making a cup of tea at the time). Delving deeper, I realised that this band wouldn't be the same without the subtly complex bass lines thumping away underneath it all. At 2:00 the song breaks away from the chilled out jazz/swing vibe and delves into a slow break, led by beautiful keys that put you in a zen-like state, of which is broken by a surprising elevation that builds the song into a bouncing collaboration of shredding guitars and dance drum beats crescendo-ing alongside a beastly organ which will have you spilling your tea all over your kitchen from dance moves inspired by a frog on a fishing hook before floating back down with a familiar and catchy chorus. I must have played this song at least five times before moving on to the rest of the EP due to a fear of the remaining songs not living up to 'Winter’. I am glad that my fear was unfounded. 

Running at just over forty minutes, I've played this EP more than I'd care to admit, earning itself a top contender slot in my overall 'tracks most played’, it's a crystal clear cut of cheery musical brilliance. 

10/10 would recommend. For fans of Minus The Bear, Feed Me Jack, This Town Needs Guns.