El Paso indie-rock animals Gila Monster delivered their alternative-pop infused debut, Up Go The Trolley Cars, this past December diving into 90s sounds and infectious pop.
Looking past the usual sounds of indie bands of El Paso that can’t shake the Strokes and Kings of Leon complex, Gila Monster’s song structures are more developed than meat and potatoes simple rock & roll. The songs transition into epic choruses and erupt with a heavy boost of energy.
Songs like “I Was the Devil” power through like a Replacements rocker, and album starter “Up Go the Trolley Cars” sounds like the 90s more underground alternative power-pop sounds of Superdrag or Super Deluxe, with Teenage Fanclub style harmonies. The song “Black Lung” kinda reminds me of the pop side of Tony Molina, or a gentler Titus Andronicus. A definite strong point in the overall production of the album are the harmonies; these guys aren’t afraid to belt it out with good support from the rhythm section.
On the song “Alabaster Trees” Gila Monster go a little bit more mid-tempo before spring-boarding into a kaleidoscope of sound—bridging together the feeling of sadness and happiness.
With a mix of rock & roll jangly guitars, pop hooks for days, punchy harmonies and just a dash of 90s alt-country, Up Go the Trolly Cars is a surge of good ol’ fashioned rock, with strong songwriting. The production value matched with the album’s earnest songs gives you the feeling that good rock & roll music is out there.
Check the album out on Spotify, Soundcloud & Fb gilamonsterband.
