ZapTown

The Octagon
Warm Love And Cool Dreams Forever
Serious Business
Rating: 4.2 out of 5

Link: http://www.theoctagonrock.com/
Serious Business: http://www.seriousbusinessrecords.com/

It takes a lot of courage for a band who could have all the perks of technology to simply disregard the idea and go the lo-fi route. But that is a big part of the charm to Warm Love And Cool Dreams Forever.

What comes out of a Brooklyn practice space and analog tape on four track is earnestly brilliant. Sloppy only on the surface and with the best intentions, this is an album whose songs are solid through and through.

Don’t let “Suicide Kings” fool you, although soothing in its melody and lyrical coolness that meshes with noisy guitar riffage, it’s songs like “Cross Tops” and “Stop Snitchin’” that make you want to freak out with excitement.

And “Radio Days?” Holy crap, this is every fan’s fantasy who wished for more early ‘60s garage rock with a tint of shoegaze. A Ventures sandy drum beat, and a raunchy early ‘80s three-chord New York rocker melt your mind with a wall of noise coming in like a tsunami. “You can do it right, you can make it on your own. You can fall in love with everyone you know,” it’s a message that needs to be instilled over and over again as the chorus rings out.

With 16 songs on the plate, the back half of the album is just as impressive as the front. “One Five Five” is pounding power rocker while “Revolution” sounds like a lost gem from mid-’80s Minneapolis.

All in all, The Octagon is my new favorite obsession that keeps me constantly amazed with how well these songs stick to you, even in its rawest form.

 

 The Octagon - Cross Tops (From the album "Warm Love And Cool Dreams Forever") [2:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download