Spook the Herd, a Boston-based rock band and comprised of Jesse Weiss (Palehound, Grass is Green) and Abe Kimball (Vending Machetes), bring us summery vibes mixed with an easygoing attitude with their The Small Wins EP, which will release Friday, June 17 via Exploding in Sound Records.
Every summer, I wait anxiously for the new round of the summer alternative tunes that are good for jamming out to with the windows rolled down. The Small Wins EP gives off a sort of vintage vibe to the alternative rock scene that is perfect for just driving around on a summer evening. The very first song, titled “Slurpee Surf,” captures that laid back feel that sings of better times in the past. Just read these lyrics from the first single: “tell them all aloud just to settle down” and “I wanna go back in time, to satisfy the urge to find, where innocence went wrong.”
Compared to their previous EP, The Small Wins is a bit more upbeat and carefree with its instrumentals. Not that things aren’t tight and expertly handled, but it sounds more like Weiss and Kimball are just having fun with this one, and that carries through in their music. The only song on the EP that reminds me of their previous stuff is the sixth and final song, “Running in Place,” a song that’s a bit more mellow than the others and has a Johnny Cash, “Personal Jesus” feel to it, at least in the instrumentals. Even still, the song still manages to keep to the same theme of the EP, a theme that harkens back to a time simpler time when making music was only about the fun of making it.
This is the first time I’ve ever listened to Spook the Herd, but I’m glad I did. They definitely have a Nirvana/Weezer sound to them, and I’m glad to be able to add them to my summer playlist. You can too come this Friday when The Small Wins releases.
