Ever since releasing their debut single “moody knows best”
in early January, Minneapolis quartet bugsy has been making waves.
Combining furious guitar riffs with beautiful harmonies, the band perfected a
high-octane indie punk on their debut EP Teratoma, released in
February. Their new single “talk to you” takes all that made Teratoma great and
subtly expands upon it.
Vocalist/guitarist Emily Schoonover remains one of the best songwriters in the Twin Cities and on "talk to you," they infuse their remarkably catchy style with a streak of darkness. bugsy has always operated in a happy-sad dynamic — the band makes ecstatic music that you can easily dance (or mosh) to, but the lyrics reveal a nuanced heartache and yearning. This time around, the band tinkers with their previous approach, letting the undercurrent of emotion bubble to the top and never letting it fully erupt. It gets awfully close (listen for the harmonies on the final chorus), but bugsy maintains ultimate control.
Schoonover and guitarist Griffin Desai cast lightning bolts of guitar fury all over Teratoma. "talk to you" wields their dueling splendor in a manner more reminiscent of thunder. Drummer Alex Norman adapts his meteoric technique to a slightly off-kilter rhythm. His playing gives bugsy an effortless momentum, as per usual. The harmonies that bassist/vocalist Shannon Maroney creates with Schoonover will never not be my favorite part of bugsy songs. They are reserved mostly for the choruses, but when their voices rise out of the sea of guitar tone to strike a chord, it's incredible.
bugsy has evolved from lo-fi solo project to a full-fledged rock hurricane in under a year. "talk to you" is just the next step in their eventual world domination (or at least domination of Minnesota). It simmers and bursts, unifying beauty and noise perfectly.
Watch the video for "talk to you" (put together by Schoonover) below, exclusively available on Ear Coffee until the song releases tomorrow, September 19th. RIP Benjamin.
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