Cassette Review // Fog Lamp "Anxious Stargazing"

https://foglamp.bandcamp.com/album/anxious-stargazing

There is something truly refreshing about hearing a band such as Fog Lamp.  As someone who really had their musical tastes matured during the mid to late 1990's, I always find it difficult to find modern artists who embrace that sound.  It's kind of grunge, but kind of not.  One of the few bands I've found that has done this so well is Weep Wave and in that sense I can compare Fog Lamp with them, as I would love to see them on tour together and coming to rock the east coast live.

With distortion and steady drumming, this reminds me of somewhere between Nirvana and Local H, but I mean that specifically for "Bleach" and "Ham Fisted" respectfully.   To some extent this also reminds me of a band such as Mudhoney, which is just such a specific sound and time in music that I think it truly defines not only an era but me as well.  "Luke Warm" hits with dark keys and at times it can feel like there is talking instead of singing, but by the end of Side A you'll hear screaming.

On the flip side there is a slower, electronic start but then it kicks right in.  There are elements of fast paced synth here and this whole cassette just feels like a party.   By the end we reach a song called "People Are Sponges" in which there is distortion over this almost ska-like riff.  It reminds me a bit of Talking Heads, but also just carries that punk mentality that would've landed them a gig at CBGB's.

My favorite thing that you can do as a musician is combine elements of the past with different sounds to showcase the future.  Fog Lamp has done exactly that on this cassette, with sounds that take me back to 1998 but also make me feel like it's not a direct sound to that year and so it can feel like we're progressing into the future.   Still, whether you want to call it punk, rock or something else it just flat out rocks and so I'm happy to have music you can just turn on loud.