There has been a massive amount of hype placed on Sleigh Bells -- a duo comprising Derek Miller (of Poison the Well fame) and Alexis Krauss -- and Treats damn-near solidifies all of it. The band's early demos had many (myself included) foaming at the mouth for new material from the band, and Treats is a fantastic just reward. The album is loud as shit -- something the band prides themselves on -- and it manages to improve upon the already impressive demos.
For instance, the track "Infinity Guitars" was a stellar demo that showcased how loud and brash the band can be and how driving and thunderous Miller's guitar playing truly is. Throw in a cocky, foot-stomping hip hop beat and the track sounds like nothing else released this year. The album version of "Infinity Guitars" has a delightful little tweak at the end of the track, making it insanely louder and more blatantly vulgar than the previous demo. People will be blowing out their subwoofers all over the place with this one.
Throughout its 32 minutes, Treats manages to show Sleigh Bells' range, revealing Krauss' rather impressive vocals. Sure, some of the songs tend to drown her out, but a track like "Run the Heart" has a softer side to it, and its all thanks to Krauss. Granted, Sleigh Bells' formula isn't rocket science, but whatever it is they do, they manage to make it very polished and very, very impressive.
Let the dream crunk revolution begin.
Album stream: Sleigh Bells - Treats [NPR Music]
