Sleigh Bells performing at Southbound Festival in 2011. Photo by Stuart Sevastos/Wikimedia Commons.
Hello and welcome to the second part of Split Record Review! You’re in for a treat next week with three reviews of a polarizing record by a controversial 21st-century artist, but for now, let’s see what I have to say about Brooklyn’s duo Sleigh Bells and their 2010 album “Treats.”
“Kids” is where things really get going, especially with bells in the background, giving credence to the group’s name. Spoken interludes provide a break from the madness, even with lead vocalist Alexis Krauss screaming during these sections with her vocals artificially pitched high.
Henry pointed out the similarities between Sleigh Bells and the riot grrrl genre on “Infinity Guitars,” but this connection is more apparent on the previous track, “Riot Rhythm.” The backing beat is boom-bap on steroids while shouts from Krauss keep the energy high. Guitarist Derek Miller should also be commended for the crazy lick on here and his work on the record.
“Infinity Guitars” is distorted to all hell, though Krauss’ melodic vocals make way through all the chaos. Choice terms in the lyrics haven’t aged the best but I wish her ascending “ah-ah-ah” at the end could go on for infinity.
“Run the Heart” is the most bombastic and defiant cut yet with lyrics like “You take a heart, I can take out two / You take a heart, I can take out you.” The ebb and flow of the instrumental makes for an addicting listen. If the distortion kept up the whole track, it would get tiresome, but this structure keeps the momentum going.
“Rill Rill” is the poster child of “Treats,” and for good reason. The high school themes bolstered by the album cover manifest here with “Wonder what your boyfriend thinks about your braces,” along with Krauss’ bossy vocal delivery. While the song meanders by the end, the instrumental is stripped back, giving attention to the kick drum and what sounds like finger snaps.
Krauss arguably shines even brighter on “Crown on the Ground,” where her ascending melodies fill the track’s four minutes nicely. The mixing on “A/B Machines” rivals that of Tyler, the Creator’s “Cherry Bomb” in that it’s so bad that it’s good. There’s a lack of variety in the three-and-a-half-minute runtime but the outro with random sound effects akin to 100 gecs gives flavor.
The album’s title track sees Krauss syncing her vocals with the booms and bells. It’s utter insanity yet representative of the record at large. She speaks in short phrases like “Heavy metal band, deal with me,” which offers an apt comparison of “Treats” to the notoriously noisy genre of heavy metal. Considering there are borderline-screamo moments on here, I wouldn’t put metal past her.
I can accept that “Treats” isn’t well-received across the board, and despite my suggestion of this record this week, I agree with many of Henry’s criticisms. Nevertheless, I have a soft spot for maniacal production with equally wild vocals, so the duo of Krauss and Miller rubs me the right way.