Photo Credit: Shervin Lainez
GRAMMY award-winning producer and engineer Sarah Tudzin recently released her third album, POWER, via Snack Shack Tracks (Tudzin’s own label) and Hopeless Records under the moniker illuminati hotties. Working as a producer alongside bands such as boygenius and Weyes Blood, Tudzin has gained a reputation as one of the best in the industry. Since the release of her 2018 debut album Kiss Yr Frenemies she has grown in popularity, and now her fourth record will go a long way to cementing a place at the heart of the industry, not forgetting of course that there are three other members in the band: Tim Kmet; Sapphire Jewell; and Zach Bilson.
Opener Can’t Be Still, the first release from the record in May, is a nice mellow start to POWER. Infectious lyrics with the guitar melodies are the standout here, just as they are on next track I Would Like, Still Love You, which almost seems like a continuation from the first song. If you like ’90s inspired indie music then you will enjoy these opening two songs. Tudzin excels lyrically on Throw (Life Raft), a track with a more grungy feel.
Rot is a slower track which almost sounds out of tune at times. This is of course deliberate and adds to the grungy feel, but it doesn’t really pull us in much. However, next song Falling In Love With Somebody Better ticks all the boxes and is one of the best on the album. The introduction of the keyboards makes a big difference, working well alongside Tudzin’s vocals. The L is more of a pop-punk song reminding us of bands like As December Falls and South Arcade. The chorus is quite catchy on this one, as Tudzin sings: “Okay, okay, okay/I love you more today/We could go separate ways/I’ll take the L instead.”
Tudzin recently married and Sleeping In was written around her wife enjoying a long lie as the lyrics suggest: “I don’t like laying around, but you like sleeping in, so I like sleeping in now.” A nice personal touch on the album. Didn’t brings the grunge back and features a nice collaboration with Cavetown, helping to keep the energy high – one of the highlights of the LP.
What’s The Fuzz is a another collaboration, this time with Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz fame. Her solo project is Sad13 and the song has a nice feel about it. YSL is one of the more pop-influenced tracks, but we soon get more upbeat as album title track POWER begins with a keyboard intro alongside some mellow acoustic guitar. Tudzin’s vocals on here are special, making it one of the albums finest songs, while the closing track is short but sweet, as Everything Changes ends proceedings with a mellow acoustic number leaving you space to reflect on the album.
illuminati hotties head out on a USA tour during September, October and November – we hope to see them touring the UK at some point in the near future.
8/10
Standout Tracks: Can’t Be Still, Falling In Love With Somebody Better, Everything Changes
For Fans Of: As December Falls, South Arcade
Written by: Alan Brown
