By Maegan Krause
The genre of power-pop has taken Milwaukee by storm in recent years, and Surgeons In Heat is one of a few bands making creative content under that umbrella. In its newest album, however, the band moves in enjoyably different directions.
Surgeons In Heat’s new album “Disaster” is out on Top Five Records, available digitally on iTunes as of April 14. The album is also set for a vinyl release April 28. I suggest you pick yourself up a copy for all you record player owners. Everything sounds better on vinyl.
It’s the group’s first release in three years, and also its first ever full-length LP. The Surgeons released their first, self-titled EP in 2011 and another, “Midnight in Bellevue" in 2012. The sound of this album is different. They’ve really slowed things down. Each song has this resonating melancholy undertone, and the lyrics reach you in the same way as some of the group’s older stuff.
In fact, there may be no singular defining genre for this new album. At times, “Disaster” breaks out of that familiar power-pop sound of their first two EP’s. It takes a refreshing harmony and synth-heavy approach -- to its advantage. In a sense, the album blends power-pop and indie-rock with finesse.
The song “Another Time” is reminiscent of groups like the The Skyliners and Sinceres. It’s an almost stripped down, modern take on 1950’s doo-wop. Much of the album is. Songs like “Needs and Going through the Motions” definitely resume the group’s more pop-forward reputation, and no one song is like the next. This album really shows the band’s diversity and ability to create new content fitting for 2015.
"Disaster" really brings on “the feels,” and is an exciting step forward for this Milwaukee band.
See them live:
Album Release – May 1, 9pm
Linneman’s
414 Music Live – May 7, 5:30pm
Radio Milwaukee studios
