Flatbasset Radio's Album Of The Week for the week of March 6th-12th, 2016:
The Social Disaster - Dark Side Of The Roller Rink
01. Queen Of Agency
02. Machinery
03. Gold
04. Little Girl
05. Bad Boys With Big Hearts
06. God
07. Want It All
08. Battleground
09. Quiet Savior
10. Voyeur
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| (The Social Disaster by Laramie Carlson) |
Straight out of sunny Duluth we have Dark Side Of The Roller Rink, the debut LP from self-described "proto-pop, gloom pop, dance & doo-wop" quintet The Social Disaster. While that may seem like a curious description for a band, it's appropriate. For better or worse, on DSOTRR, the band manages to cover those bases and and more.
The Social Disaster wisely aims to make their case on the opening track "Queen Of Agency." The band locks into a a decidedly indie-pop swing (complete with a bed of synthesizers) as singer Rachel Phoenix steps front and center to deliver no-less-than three different hooks. It's one of the real highlights on the album, a moment when everything the band is trying to accomplish comes together in the same song.
The Social Disaster spends the next three tracks leaning toward the "dark side" aspect of the album title rather than the "roller rink" side. Flashing a harder-edged sound on songs "Machinery," "God," & "Little Girl" Phoenix questions religion, sexism, technology, & a woman's role in the world. Perhaps the band's crunch is meant to mirror the gravity of the subject matter, but unfortunately it causes these three songs to lump together, doing an injustice to all three.
High-water mark "Bad Boys With Big Hearts" functions as a mood-lightening reprieve at the end of the album's first half. The band steps back from the rawk to indulge in some straight-up doo-wop-pop, with Phoenix playing the role of pin-up charmer, lamenting her inability to avoid the same bad-boy mistakes that are just too much fun to repeat.
The album's second half finds The Social Disaster moving away from the charm of the first half and doubling down on a sort-of post-grunge crunch. "God" is Phoenix's anthem to the modern woman, declaring "I am my own God!" as the band rumbles behind her. They continue in this direction for duration of DSOTRR's second half. Unfortunately, as Phoenix forces the issue lyrically and the band works up the anger to match, the album loses the playful energy that makes the first half of the album a real joy.
I hope that doesn't sound too harsh. I did enjoy Dark Side Of The Roller Rink. Like a lot of debut albums, though, it's a bit scattered stylistically and bit on-the-nose lyrically. The band seems to be trying to be everything all the time, which isn't tremendously surprising. It's completely understandable for a band to try to say everything on their first album. However, given how the band sounds when they loosen up, it's clear that they have the ability to be the kind of band that has a little something for everyone. I have very high hopes for The Social Disaster going forward. They're very close to striking the balance between their playful & serious side on this album. Going forward I certainly hope they find that balance, as the two sides of this band compliment each other tremendously.
If you'd like to check out Dark Side Of The Roller Rink for yourself, head over to The Social Disaster's Bandcamp page and give it a listen.
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