Album Review Sleigh Bells - Treats

Kicking the door in like an angry couple, Derek E. Miller and Alexis Krauss of Sleigh Bells sure are an interesting juxtaposition. Distorted beats, screeching guitars and noisy rave synths greet you with an unnerving malice before beating you into a pulp. However, these are an unorthodox compliment to a childlike, almost naïve sounding vocal, which immediately sooths and offers you a hug. So, in one listen you get both kicked about the car park before being given a lollypop.

‘Tell ‘Em’ starts the album as it means to go on, a cacophony of noise with its gliding guitar riff, penetrating buzzsaw stabs and a pummeling drum machine. In contrast, ‘Rill Rill’ is a moment of relative calm. Strangely familiar, but excellent in its own right. It is possibly the most immediate track on here, both vocally and musically beautiful, this is by no means a bad thing and certainly not out of place.

One thing that strikes you about ‘Treats’ is that it is a loud album. Loud in an antisocial, attention seeking manner, even when turned down low. It knocked you back when you first play it, immediately resonating with a deep primal thrill. It’s the kind of release that will forcefully relinquish your jadedness from the current indie drabness, whilst simultaneously pissing off your neighbours.

Of course, the Crystal Castles similarities are inevitable, it also could be argued that its not too dissimilar to Primal Scream’s excellent ‘Xtrmntr’. But does it matter? Great music is great music, right?

In a word, yes. However, this stretches beyond the conventional. All in all, ‘Treats’ is a refreshingly noisy departure from the twee, indistinguishable also-rans that plague the airwaves at the moment. Sleigh Bells feel like retaliation to this and are here to kick ass. Dangerous and downright rebellious, this is what 21st century music should sound like.