St. Paul's The Persian Leaps made me an admirer pretty quickly with their 2017 EP Bicycle Face (https://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=9988), and this 18 track anthology of remixed and remastered tunes is quite possibly inching me closer to lifelong fan.
Comprised of their 5 Eps (!) and a new single, the album gets off to a delightful start with “See Me Unaware,” where distorted guitars and cautious alt-rock draws from both firm and melodic sounds. “The Weather” follows with a scrappy Husker Du quality and backing vocal harmonies that sounds right at home with the Twin Cities scene in the late '80s. “Fire Starter” then brings us some grit and crunchy guitar more closely related to Athens, Georgia in the late '80s, à la R.E.M.
The Persian Leaps knows their way around a power pop tune, too, as exemplified on the dreamy and ultra-melodic “Dottie, Queen Of The West.” They occasionally brush up against post-punk, such as the driving and moody “Picture My Reaction.” Elsewhere, the band gets playful with the bouncy bass work on “Under The Lilacs,” which is sure to get your head bobbin' and toe tappin'.
Mostly, though, these Minnesotans play vibrant, energetic rock with great singing and a punchy rhythm section. Songs like “Entropy” would be right at home in the early '90s college rock scene alongside Teenage Fanclub, while the new tune present, “Time Slips,” illustrates their songwriting chops increasing in strength and memorability with sing-a-long choruses and stadium rock sized riffs.
Though everyone in the Twin Cities is talking about Porcupine right now – and rightly so, as their recent EP is phenomenal – this first LP from St. Paul's finest is right up there with excellent, harmonic, rugged rock 'n' roll that's smart and well crafted.
Oh, and don't worry about this sounding like a compilation with random tracks; these tunes flow together like one lengthy, cohesive album that you won't soon forget.