The up-and-coming indie rock act known as The Crystal Casino Band have been creating dreamy yet anarchic melodies since 2018, and just earlier in January they released their new album titled Maryland House. Originating from the Maryland-DC area, the band’s sound is a welcome reminder of the alternative garage bands that have infiltrated the east coast indie music scene since the nineties.
“Curfew” hits you smack in the face in an indie rock explosion, the vocals narrating the cadence and leading the chaos of the music. It finds its’ grounding halfway through, giving way to a mellow tempo and a bittersweet ending any suburban kid can find solace in. “Curfew” is a strong start to Maryland House, luring the listeners in with style.
“Twenty-something Socialist” opens with a Midwest-emo riff that quickly dissolves into a choppier pop-punk style. A fashionable track for getting down with funky rhythm and cool vocals singing about these modern times, it’s one of the more thrilling songs on the album to get your kicks to. The riffs leading up to the chorus brings in an edgier tone that really pulls all the pieces of the song together.
Listeners looking for a quirky bop can find enjoyment in the third track titled “Jamie”. A song that gives plenty of space for the drums and guitar to take control, “Jamie” is most reminiscent of the mixtape bands of the early 2000’s, an equal amount of dreamy spunk.
“Boys & Girls” carries the hype of a school-dance, a retro kick of warm earthy vocals and the right amount of amp fuzz blaring through the speakers. Clean licks and surf-styled beats make “Boys & Girls” an exciting track to swing & shake along with.
“Talking Stage” enters in with the embodiment of a western saloon, a cowboy-esque bop featuring the soothing guest vocals of Divine Sweater. Minor folk notes lead the lyrics of early love and attraction, as much of a lover’s serenade as it is a western dance floor bop.
Simple is often overlooked but sometimes those simple non-chaotic rhythms create the best sounds, as proven in “City That Sleeps.” Something about “City That Sleeps” with the lonely lines of wandering questions & late night confessions feels like the soundtrack to a college art film. Moving, simple, passionate, and beyond anything one of the most memorable tracks on Maryland House.
“Half Staff” makes a bold dabble with synth in a growling pub rock jam, spicy and groovy with an air of sixties soul influence. An interesting combination of sounds that could have gone very wrong but succeeds triumphantly for The Crystal Casino Band in this song.
“Quarter-Life” questions growing up and the anxieties of aging that any adult in their twenties can relate to. The acoustic segment that follows the heavy melodies in the latter part of the song curtain the lyrics even more.
The final song off the album is a whimsical tune called “Getting Closer”. The folk influence returns for the finale, carrying “Getting Closer” with string picking, harmonicas and whistles into a full on chant, not the ending you’d expect but perfectly placed to wrap the intriguing collection of sounds that is Maryland House.
The Crystal Casino Band is a group that’s clearly fluent in various unique sounds and instruments, taking steps to differentiate themselves outside the traditional rock band. A clash of indie, folk, garage-band, and retro-wave, Maryland House captures a coming-of-age atmosphere, whether you’re a lonely teenager or a “Twenty-something Socialist” navigating the world and all the precarious stages of adulthood. Maryland House is an unforgettable late night mixtape waiting for listeners to press play.
I’m Music Magazine Writer Alice Kearney
Connect With The Crystal Casino Band:
https://www.instagram.com/crystalcasi…
