Mike Hernandez/Columnist
Imperial Teen sound is like nothing you’ve ever heard before. It is full of catchy pop hooks, guy-girl harmonies that crash together in perfect unison and choruses that permeate through your head even after the song is over.
What makes Imperial Teen discernible, besides their long on-and-off history dating back to 1996, is how the group of four are accomplished multi-instrumentalists and how they capture the essence of the 1970s, 1980s and today (very much unlike the smooth sounds of your local radio station) into a cohesive pop package that is sweet, slick and satisfying— all while walking the line of contemporary pop and affable indie rock.
Five years after their last LP, “The Hair, The TV, The Baby and The Band,” Imperial Teen does not need to worry about trying to revitalize their sound for a new score of listeners or be labeled as another timely “reunion” of a band that are labeled pioneers of music that still hold merit today.
Their lush opener, “Runaway,” maintains a blissful pulse throughout a song dealing with escapism. Subject matter has never been a question with Imperial Teen.
They were noted to be one of the first bands to contain gay lyrics in their music (leadman Roddy Bottum announced he was gay in 1993). It was a precarious position to be in; although seemingly sounding political and voicing something that would make most listeners uncomfortable hearing, their sugary sounds made songs like “Butch” easier to digest.
This exuberant quality has always remained a main fixture in their music and it has propelled through the entirety of “Feel The Sound.”
The references will come pouring in as the 1970s Electric Light Orchestra vibes will assuredly shine through to the listener, Nonetheless, you can draw comparisons to current peers like The New Pornographers or I’m From Barcelona with their sleek pop sensibilities. The trepid and stark “Over His Head” runs at a stalking pace from the start with spirited vigor as it repeats the chorus “He’s in over his head.”
The slickness in their recording (first time self-produced) maintains itself throughout the album, even in songs like the percolating “Don’t Know How You Do It,” the garage rock dead-pan “The Hibernates” and the 1980s new wave liveliness of “Out From Inside.”
It’s a hefty album with melodic tendencies that always retain an energetic trait with graceful fluidity. The somber closer, “Overtaken,” finishes with crooning vocals from Bottum and gelling female harmonies that are driven by a continued march of drums and a rich, resonating piano melody.
It does not feel like a forced melancholic choice here; it still soars like the most buoyant pop song they could feature on “Feel The Sound.” The only thing that it differs in is tonality.
“Feel The Sound” works as a conduit of pop rumination that contains melodic rhythms that can pull from over three decades’ worth of pop alternative.
With a sound that feels as fresh as it is timeless, Imperial Teen has amassed a collection of songs with undeniable appeal that you can’t help but feel and enjoy throughout its sweet spin.
Just be careful with the musical cavities.
Radiate Reviews is weekly music review column. DJ Mike “Manchild” show Radio Phobia is on Thursdays from 4-6 p.m.
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