Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Tampa, Florida band Human Darts released in October 2016 a four-track EP titled Explicit Thoughts. For longtime readers of my reviews, it might come as a surprise that I would review something that involves the word “explicit”, but there is nothing obviously so in this release. Rather, it is the underlying themes and thoughts shared that can be considered by some as explicit.
It is a little hard to define what genre this release should be filed under. Shane Close (guitar, vocals), John Arduser (guitar, vocals), and Mr. Zelk (drums, keyboard, lead vocals) are obviously having a lot of fun with instruments and sounds typically associated with rock: drums, and bass, riffing and chugging (electric) guitars, and guttural and melodic vocals. But their tongue-in-cheek approach to life that is reflected in this release is interpreted by variations that are “out there” enough to warrant the desire for a specific genre it could be filed under.
Uptempo, fun, and tongue-in-cheek, quickly fluctuating melodies and musicianship one should take the time to appreciate, are qualities that bind the four songs together. “Tell My Sister” allows listeners to particularly appreciate the skill behind the electric guitar. “Zombie Man Chant” gives the opportunity to appreciate the band’s creative boundaries—which are large—through their use of electronic alteration of vocals to make them sound as if they are coming through a walkie-talkie. It also takes us to the 1980s, what with the keyboard that adds a simple, yet insistent electronic touch to the track.
In “Stitches”, the band even adds a certain funk flavour to its repertoire. The vocals here alternate between a low and high register, making it sound either like the track is a conversation between two individuals or that there is a conflict going on in one person’s head. Either way, it’s still worth a listen—and is one of the songs available for streaming on SoundCloud. More information about the band is available on their official website (linked above) and on their Facebook page.
