New Indie Album Bedazzles Fans: The Colourist
The Colourist does not sound like any typical indie band. Their generic sound, over-polished hooks and clichéd lyrics compared to some bands seem like they are asking to be exposed in some kind of bedazzling way. But if you take a look at The Colourist album cover, you can clearly see they are “bedazzling” from other bands.
One thing that is amazing is how they shine amongst their contemporaries by actually writing catchy hooks, something that can’t be said for lots of other indie pop acts. The album’s lead single “Little Games” is the best example of the band’s songwriting at its best – its infectious hook driven by the harmonization between vocalists Adam Castilla and Maya Tuttle is what makes the song so memorable.
The Colourist seem to definitely be one of those bands that are low-key, but what’s great about a low-key band is that their music is best to listen to when they aren’t as big as Imagine Dragons or even constantly heard much on the radio. That’s when overheard songs become terribly annoying and people continuously move on to the next low-key band.
The Colourist was started by Adam Castella and Maya Tuttle in 2009 at Orange County, California and they are known to perform at bars, clubs, or at big events such as Coachella in sunny-side Indio, California. Their current self-titled album, released nearly a week ago, is nothing but bouncy and upbeat; almost all of the album’s songs are filled with youthful spirit.
While this gives tracks like “Tonight (Young Hearts)” and “We Won’t Go Home” a much needed energy boost, the band’s sound does get repetitive and tiring after the first few tracks.
“Stray Away” offers a nice change of pace though –its acoustic, stripped-down arrangement gives Castilla’s vocals a more emotional sheen. His harmonization with Tuttle creates an intimate setting that complements the lyrical content well, and
Front Cover of The Colourist’s Self Titled Album
electric guitars sweep in during the track’s climax. Lyrically, the album falters as almost all of its songs deal with teenage love and adolescent feelings of romance, and repetitively plagues them at times.
Although The Colourist specializes in generic, sappy indie pop, they can be incredibly catchy at times. Their brand of breezy “math pop” can only stay fresh for so long. With only eleven tracks, The Colourist seems a lot longer than it actually is, mainly due to the lack of deviation in the band’s songwriting formula. One acoustic ballad isn’t enough to show a different side of the band, but it still shows. Their brand of southern Californian power pop is as refreshing as a 72 degree spring day and as fiery as an Atomic Fire Ball candy. Do not take them lightly or they will burn you.
