NEW ALBUM: The Sidekicks - Runners In The Nerved World
This might very well be the album I’ve listened to the most in this still very young year of 2015. Hailing from Columbus, OH, The Sidekicks have released an immediately appealing new album with Runners In The Nerved World. The music is mainly upbeat, the songs are catchy and there’s a lot of exquisit guitar work to be enjoyed. If hard pressed to come up with a quick reference, I’d go with “Interpol meets The Strokes minus the baritone voices of Julian Casablancas or Paul Banks.” Even after having listened to the album for the dozenth time, I can’t quite warm up to Steve Ciolek’s voice – which for me has a piercing quality that keeps me on edge. On the other hand, that’s also a good thing because you never get lulled in or bored with something that keeps you alert.
With Runners In The Nerved World, The Sidekicks have moved to a new label (Epitaph) and released a new album with hopes, I guess, of more -well deserved- popularity. It’s a well rounded album that will charm itself into year ears. The album cover gives it away, for those who look closely, because it shows Seattle’s waterfront with the dominating Seattle Great Wheel and in the liner notes the band writes:
“For the recording of Runners in the Nerved World the band— Steve Ciolek (Vocals & Guitar), Matt Climer (Drums), and Ryan Starinsky (Bass)—decamped to Seattle to work with famed indie-rock producer Phil Ek, a pairing that proved to be something of a dream come true for Ciolek. The results, on tracks like “The Kid Who Broke His Wrist” and “Deer,” bring to mind the kind of jangly pop euphoria of early Band of Horses or old Built to Spill records, while “Everything in Twos” is the kind of pop punk jam seemingly tailor made for singing along in a car at peak volume.”
The songs all tell a story and if you -like me- like to read the lyrics while listening to each track, here they are: Runners In The Nerved World lyrics
Listen to the album on Bandcamp, where you can also support the band. My two favorite songs are The Kid Who Broke His Wrist with its upbeat, almost carelessly free spirited melody in stark contrast to the almost heartbreaking lyrics. My other favorite has to be Century Schoolbook Grown-Ups with the driving drums, and the cool guitar work (reminding me of Disappears at times).
The Sidekicks are currently touring the United States and while I missed the album release party at Baby’s Allright, there are many other chances to see them play live and enjoy this pleasing alt-pop-rock album.