The 11-song, 30-minute third full-length from Brooklyn outfit Kissed by an Animal quickly sets the tone with a jangly form of energetic alternative rock that carries with it a power pop sensibility. Those aspects are tempered, though, by the fact that they're coming from more of a punk rock background, which makes it cooler somehow.
"My Body is the Animal That Carries Me" is one of the stronger examples of the overall vibe in terms of its balance between straightforward rhythmic jangle and rock-infused lead melodies, plus a hook-based chorus and softer passages that allow the rhythm section to drive. Occasionally things get a little bit quirky/wacky (the spacy, theremin-ish warbles over the angular midpoint in "Locust in the Mirror," for example), whereas other areas lean more toward the rockin' with fuzzed-out leads and such (even heading toward borderline psych tendencies in the solo breaks of "God Hates Money"). Were it faster and less restrained, "The Worst" could even be a straight-up punk tune!
There's sort of an airy quality to the recording, which works well alongside the catchy bounce of the songwriting, and does a great job of allowing each element to be heard. The mix provides breathing room for all of the layering and textural nuances, too.
The packaging is of course loaded up with fantastic full-color artwork from the band's vocalist/guitarist Dima Drjuchin. The gatefold includes full-panel artwork inside that's a bit more involved than the front cover, and the purple vinyl (limited to 543 copies) is housed in a matte finish printed inner sleeve that includes another panel of artwork with lyrics and credits on the back—artistically displayed with yet more doodles and illustrations. Hell, even the design of the digital download card is customized to the contents and aesthetic of the release!
I think it slipped off my radar to write about Kissed by an Animal's sophomore outing somewhere along the way, and I probably missed out and ought to circle back, 'cause Middle Distance is an enjoyable listen that should absolutely appeal to fans of a specific niche of '90s-styled alternative rock that I think of as having been prevalent in the northeastern U.S. Good stuff.
Get It
- Handstand Records (LP)
- Bandcamp (LP, mp3)
- Apple Music (stream)
- YouTube (stream)
- Spotify (stream)
