AFTERPARTEES - Glitter Lizard
Whenever I made it out of a party alive, it was the after-party that was the last nail in the coffin for the night. Things go more smoothly with Afterpartees, a quintet from the Netherlands that has just released its debut album Glitter Lizard. The young musicians dwell somewhere between pop, rock, garage, punk and disco and thus deliver the perfect if somewhat late soundtrack for the hot summer of 2015.
The opener Loverboy Loco is a straightforward rocker but comes also with some minimalist elements, all in all feeling quite catchy. The band’s songs are all about three minutes long, always coming straight to the point and never losing any time with unnecessary playing around. The retro component is a vital part of the music.
Whereas the band is rocking ahead on Power Animal, they show themselves from their melancholic side on Gucci Ballad. One of their best songs is Bathroom Floor with its Brit pop charm. More hit potential can be found on the upbeat Girls Like You. The lyrics deal with rather trivial topics like cars, girls, love, partying,... but somehow fit the carefree nature of the music. There are no blanks on the album, but towards the end there comes a certain feeling of repetition.
The Afterpartees have been voted best band of the Eurosonic 2015 festival, and rightly so. The band plays wonderfully uncomplicated music that must work even better in a live setting. This young band should have a bright future ahead.