Bent Knee is a sextet from Boston that has received praise from many different publications such as Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, NPR, and BBC. They’ve been playing music since 2009, and they’re not slowing down. They’re set to release their new album, Land Animal, on June 23rd, but we got to listen to it first. Here’s what we think.
The first track is called “Terror Bird.” It’s chill, rhythmic, and hosts stand out lyrics. The vocals are soothing, and pairs with the syncopated beat perfectly. Different instrumentals enter and exit the song, creating a jumbled feel at times which is really cool. The song builds up in intensity before receding back, and the push and pull it creates is what makes this track catchy as hell.
The next track is more playful, and it’s called “Hole.” This track turns inside out and upside down on you an instant, going between joyful major keys to sinister minor ones. The balance between instrumental and vocals are impeccable throughout the album. You never really know what you’ll get in regard to the feel of the song. Each track is unpredictable, which is one of the things we definitely love most about the album.
The vocals in general remind me somewhat of Misterwives— it’s unique and hypnotic. “These Hands” slow things way down, starting with a subdued instrumental line, only to be joined a little while later by airy vocals. This track has a mysterious feel to it, and it’s absolutely hypnotic. This track was one of our favorites without a doubt.
“Belly Side Up” takes you into a totally different direction, which at this point, isn’t unexpected from this album. A strong guitar presence catches your attention as the vocals sing, “show me your teeth girl, show me what you’re made of.” The album ends on “Boxes.” The track has a blurry quality, like a person’s mind before they fall asleep, making it the perfect closer to this record.
Thoughtout this album, it’s just so amazing how diverse each track is. Most good albums have diverse tracks that are still cohesive, but this album is even more diverse than the norm—each track is completely different, yet the album still works as a whole. For a band to create so many different sounds is just incredible, and the diversity never sacrifices quality.
This album is definitely one to check out, hands down. Land Animal is out June 23rd and is available for preorder now.
