(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))): LITTLE TYRANT

Thursday, 7 May 2015

LITTLE TYRANT

Band: LITTLE TYRANT

Genres: Punk / Rock / Emo / Alternative / Acoustic / Folk
Related artists: ?.
Country: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA
Years Active: 2014-present
Song: "Everyone who Wants to Kiss Me is on the Internet"
Album: "Stop Crying/Dying (A Collection of Platonic Love Songs)"
Year: 2015
Label(s): Self Released / Driftwood Records / Little L Records
This post's artist is from the April 2015 Mix. This is track #11.
You can download: the May Mix#5 right here or get the new June 2015 Mix#6 here.
For fans of: Anthony Green, Jeff Buckley, Mansions, Pedro The Lion, Ramona Cordova, Circa Survive, Rocky Votolato, Owen, Infinity Crush, Into It/Over It, Laura Stevenson and Stephen Brodsky.

A few months back I was sent an email regarding Matt's new (at the time) EP 'Stop Crying/Dying: A Collection of Platonic Love Songs)' the same day LITTLE TYRANT posted a live video on a facebook community page. It was a lot of amazingness to take in in such a short amount of time. "Security Deposit" opens the EP and is the most well-rounded of the bunch. The layered, angelic melodies permeate the song with some nice accompanying acoustic guitars. I really enjoy the simplicity of the lyrics along with the emotional and honest delivery. It isn't a stretch to say that they are baring the naked truth like a window to the soul...or some other overly thought-out expression. "I get out of bed. Dream of punching holes in my walls but I can't cuz it comes out of my security deposit...I get to the sink and I stare at the spot where the bottles could be." Mmmmhm, oh sweet, sweet melodies. "Everyone who Wants to Kiss Me is on the Internet" starts out with a slow, somber affair that is joined by their lower sounding vocals 33 seconds in. This introductory verse/chorus sets your brain up for the falsetto hook that will have you singing this song for the rest of your life...errrr, mine, at least. The song is only two lines repeated a couple of times but holy shit its like a drug with those amazing vocal melodies. Surprisingly enough, this is the longest song on the EP at 2:08.

The very first 'Demo' from December 2014 has "Writhe" which is a great song, a pretty song in "Wheeze" and two demos of "Security Deposit" and "Cute Little Wreck" with alternative song titles "Choke" and "Sob", respectively.

"Muster" opens 'Love is for Chumps' and has a very Stephen Brodsky and The Beatles feel to it which is a nice change. The second track is a Flatsound cover of "Old Lumina" and as I've never heard the original I can't compare - but I can probably assume this version is better. For christ's sake I keep thinking I'm listening to Anthony Green, and that's no insult! There was also a 4-way split with the LITTLE TYRANT exclusive "Metal" which is a dreamy song with more beautiful harmonies and should be played around a campfire, says I.

At the time of this review 'Another Demo' was recently released and starting us off is "Validate" which goes ape shit falsetto like Jeff Buckley. "22nd n' Market" is very Ramona Cordova. "There Names Were" is Matt's longest song recorded thus far and it really shows what a capable songwriter they are. The closer "Fingertips" has an ending that blows me away every time, hot damn that's some more Anthony Green. LITTLE TYRANT does push past this repeated comparison because after a few listens the subtle nuances become much clearer and considering their age I'm ridiculously excited about what is to come.

A lot of the lyrics deal with being transgender and...well why don't I let Matt describe it. This was part of their email to me when they sent me 'Stop Crying/Dying':
"It's a short collection of songs that revolve around being transgender/genderqueer and dealing with things such as gender dysphoria without getting too dark or macabre. It's mostly acoustic with some background instrumentals thrown in. Very Spacey and ambient at parts with lots of falsetto and vocal harmonies."

What they said, but much, much better.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2014 - Demo digitalEP (donate/download here)

2015 - Stop Crying/Dying (A Collection of Platonic Love Songs) cdEP (stream/donate/buy/download here)
2015 - Love is for Chumps cd/cassetteEP (stream/donate/buy/download here)
2015 - 4-way split cassette (w/The Secretest Crush There Ever Was, Hold Your Tongue & Buzz Off!!) (stream/donate/download/buy here)
2015 - Another Demo digitalEP (stream/donate/download here)

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(2015) LITTLE TYRANT - "Fingertips" (from 'Another Demo')