Album Review – Harry Leithhead
Melbourne-based trio Super American Eagle have arrived with their long awaited self-titled debut album, combining fuzz, psychedelia, hard rock and more into a heart-pounding, high octane 10 songs.
Combining Brent DeBoer of The Dandy Warhols, Bob Harrow of Immigrant Union and Dave Mudie from Courtney Barnett’s band, the trio was born out of an Immigrant Union show in NYC. Their instant chemistry was too good to leave behind, and so Super American Eagle was born.
The songs here make great use of distortion, and the clipped kick drum adds an extra layer of oomph and grit. There is a fantastic garage rock quality that showcases the tightness of the band. From album opener ‘Yes’ and its epic drum intro, SAE explode out of the gate with 70’s classic rock harmonies and a heavy, fuzzy drive propelling the shredding vocals forward. As the band explains, it was a ‘collaborative process’, which ‘came together in a simultaneous burst of creativity, the song arriving fully formed’, and so is the perfect introduction to their sound.
Their single, ‘Shit’s a Thing’, has a strong groove and a sharp solo, singing of a ‘careful what you wish for’ scenario. ‘Payroll’ is heavier and darker, with a constant riff hammering home and lyrics of feeling neglected.
‘Youf Uck’ is sleazy, with Bob Harrow’s voice ripping through, reminiscent of Dave Grohl’s fierce vocals on ‘White Limo’, while ‘Mark of the Beast’ is an epic, stoner anthem, described by the band as ‘the Melvins on heavy edibles as the densest of riffs grinds beneath the song’.
The album doesn’t take a breath until the penultimate track, ‘Trample’. The acoustic guitars pave the way for a much lighter, old school pop-rock style. It has a noticeable Dandy Warhols influence and, despite being the noticeable outlier in the sound of the album, is my personal pick for best track. It has an optimistic sound and style, as the chorus sings ‘no more trampling on me’.
The album closes with ‘Mac’: an all-out barrage of psychedelic rock; a descent into madness as blurred, mashed voices collide with great lead guitar to create a wall of sound. ‘It’s about being totally enamoured with someone’ the band explains. It’s a love song hidden behind layers upon layers of fuzz, that reveals itself best when the music topples over into its outro, and soft keys close out both the song and the album.
Super American Eagle is a strong debut album where a collision of styles result in a collection of engaging, powerful songs. For lovers of classic rock, this is a must. The album is released Friday, November 10th, and a limited edition black and white split colour vinyl is available for purchase through Cheersquad Records & Tapes. For those in Melbourne, their album launch takes place Friday, November 24th at the Old Bar, and should be an amazing gig.
