Hanging Like A Hex – September 2022
On their second LP the Brooklyn indie rockers in Kissed By Animal return with a similar sound, with some tasteful updates, as well as another eye-pleasing ultra-colorful gatefold cover that’s simply a delight to look at. They’re still on that jangly catchy power-pop tip with a big nod to Teenage Cool Kids (“Blue Skull” especially before it does a kind of psychedelic fake out ending before coming back to the main riff), but sometimes reminds me of more direct pop music like the Rentals with simple verse-chorus-verse and occasional keyboards making for some undeniably fun sounds. The record closes out with a ballad that might be out of place with most other bands of this style, but seems almost fitting for this group for reasons I cannot explain. Maybe it’s because throughout the record they work their pop hooks like earworms little by little until you get to the title track (the last one) and they’re on the verge of doo-wop mixed with the slow dance at the prom and by then you’re like ‘this makes sense. I’m with it.’ Very clever Kissed By An Animal, very clever indeed.
