Artist: Shy Kids
Album: in a state
Release Date: 02/23/2018
RIYL: Future Generations, The Kooks
Rating: 8.5/10
In a state by Shy Kids is a dynamic rock pop album that gains points in the areas of originality and creativity. It’s a well-thought-out album that should be listened to on a sunny day while you’re driving around with the windows rolled down. As the name of the album suggests, the tracks of in a state fit the theme of travel as well as the sentiments that go along with travel. This being said, Shy Kids does an awesome job of capturing the energy of the places that the songs are about. Shy Kids is able to do this not only through the copious instruments used, such as the sax, piano, and violin among others, but also because of the background sounds that are infused into most of the songs, such as the honking horns of traffic, the ringing of a telephone, and even a rooster.
Each song has a sound of its own, and the album blends beautifully from track to track. The three songs that stood out to me the most were “I was in New York,” “I feel like a failure,” and “if I was in Hawaii… .” A top ten pick for our music department for the week of March 2nd, “I was in New York,” has an almost symphonic sound mixed with a rock pop sound, which makes it really catchy and easy to listen to. “I feel like a failure” repeats “I feel like a failure/feel like a failure” over and over, but the upbeat music evokes the inclination to get up, smile, and dance. The album ends with “if I was in Hawaii,” which starts off with a slow Hawaiian guitar sound, bongos, and a tambourine, making this track distinct from all of the others. It’s a song to end a long summer day with to put you in a good mood.
Altogether, in a state is an album that can bring out the traveling daydreamer in all of us through the use of catchy lyrics and light and fresh music. Give in a state a listen if you feel like feelin’ good!
