Proud Parents: Proud Parents LP

The same infectious spirit that fashioned the height of underground music in Haight Asbhury, Liverpool, Seattle and NYC has cleverly infiltrated Madison, fusing the pop swagger of the British Invasion with the up-tempo punk of the east coast’s Velvet Underground. As soon as the needle drops, the summer of love bursts into view. The self-titled album is complete with top-shelf pop-rock harmonizing: the classic sunny waves of The Beach Boys, The Turtles and The Monkees, with the alt-rock rhythms of indie garage bands (think Sonic Youth meets Edward Sharpe meets Dinosaur Jr.) sweetly blended in a lofty brew that undeniably revives the concept of good vibrations. “Hypnotoad” showcases exactly what to expect from the revamped ‘Parents: rollickin’ clever leads, honey-coated choruses, and catchy interludes all under the rhythmic control of Heather Hussy (drummer/vocals of The Hussy/Heather the Jerk) and bassist Maggie Denman. Rounding out lead guitar duties, Claire Nelson-Lifson and Tyler Fassnacht (The Hussy/Fire Heads/T.S. Foss) seamlessly interweave lead lines.
Following the openers, “2 Fast 2 Serious” brings the comfort of emotionally-charged lyrics into being, infused with tropical goodness. In their bandcamp page, the album demonstrates their resolve to tackle some weighty themes such as “self-reflection and jumping from saccharine adoration to heartfelt confession." It also touches on "themes of isolation, be it intentional or otherwise, anxiety, loss and moving on, with each singer coming at the songs with their own distinct perspective, using humor, red herrings, pets and metaphors to mask the demons.” In this endeavor, they succeed in delivering a therapeutic quality to their music for those who could use that all-too-crucial, scarcely-found TLC. They really have created something special here. This album also marks the occasion of being the first local release in eighteen years by DirtNap Records, and you can support the band by buying their album here or acquire a copy from MadCity music!

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