With indie pop and rock being as overcrowded as they are in the present day, it’s becoming increasingly hard to stand out from the throng. Fortunately, the Cincinnati duo Bad Veins — Benjamin Davis on vocals/guitar and Jake Bonta on drums — have crafted an LP that’s sure to get them noticed, the 13-track The Mess Remade. With crisp but not too clean production and a bandolier of catchy choruses, the record benefits from a strong pop core that the duo uses as an anchor through which they can branch out in other directions. From synth-pop (“Dancing on TV”) to twee affectations (“I Turn Around”), to vocal performances that veer into musical theatre territory (“Rainbow Connection”), The Mess Remade is a pop album with an appealingly restless spirit. There are also some killer turns of phrase on the lyrical front as well: “I’ve got this soapbox / But I wish I had a crystal ball”, Davis sings on “Nursery Rhyme”.
The band tells PopMatters about the album, “We are happy to preview The Mess Remade with PopMatters. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but take a listen to ‘Kindness’ or ‘Don’t Run’. Also, ‘I Shut My Heart Down’ is a really funky trip to enjoy. We hope you dig our music, share it with some friends and come out to see us live sometime.”
The Mess Remade is out on 17 March via Dynamite Music.
Bad Veins will play at the 2015 iteration of the South By Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas at the following dates:
3/18: Soundrink @ Des Moines Embassy Tent (Corner of E 6th / Red River) @ 2:15 PM
3/19: In2une @ Shakespeare’s (314 E 6th St) @ 8:20 PM
3/20: Music Gorilla @ Burnside Tavern (413 E 6th St) @ 9:00 PM
3/21: Quantum Lounge @ Whole Foods Second Stage (525 N Lamar) @ 5:40 PM
3/21: Official SXSW Showcase @ Bar 96 (96 Rainey St) @ 10:00 PM