Octoberland

The Armoires

Big Stir Records, 2024

http://thearmoires.bandcamp.com

REVIEW BY: Tom Haugen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 12/13/2024

The fourth full-length album from the Burbank, California indie-pop outfit The Armoires, Octoberland and its 11 tracks have the quintet exploring ideas from decades of songwriting that might bring to mind legends like Camper Von Beethoven, Belle & Sebastian, The Sundays, Fleetwood Mac or even The New Pornographers.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

The dreamy mood of “We Absolutely Mean It” starts the listen, and allows Larysa Bulbenko’s glorious viola to complement the rich, nostalgic folk-rock nods. “This One's For The Swedes” then follows, and uses Rex Broome's firm guitar strumming that suits Christina Bulbenko's flowing pipes amid synth stabs, which leads into the crisp drumming from John M. Borack that populates “Ridley & Me After The Apocalypse.” One of the highlight songs from Side A, this harmonic and post-punk flavored tune is alone worth the price of admission.

Moving into the middle, the infectious jangle of “Green Hellfire At The 7-11” flirts with cow-punk nods, while the dynamic group vocals of “You Oughta Be Cut In Half” is an upbeat and charming moment where Clifford Ulrich’s bass playing won’t go unnoticed.

Deeper onto the back half, “Snake Island Thirteen” soars with both grit and melody, as Bulbenko sings with emotion about her ancestral homeland of Ukraine, and the pretty, heartfelt “Music & Animals” places cozy strings into the fluid vocal harmonies and scrappy rhythm section that exits the record.

A listen that’s about as timeless as anything you’ll hear, the vibrant, sunny disposition of the ’60s, the jangly fun of ’80s college rock and even the chamber influences of the ’90s are all present and appreciated. If you enjoy music that’s hook-filled and occasionally touches on psyche-pop, twee-pop and dream-rock, you’re going to be tremendously impressed with The Armoires. Or at least, I sure was.

Rating: A

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