(Jigsaw/Perfect Attendance) Athens emo band Scooterbabe has long been on-again, off-again. Luckily, after a few hiatuses and member switches, the group is back, and its first official full-length, The Sorrow You’ve Been Toting Around, is set for release Nov. 4.
If you were a fan of Scooterbabe’s EPs—the self-titled effort and scooterbabe2@gmail.com (not an actual email address, btw)—Sorrow will hit you like an emotional train. With homages to previous songs and characters in nearly every track, Sorrow is a masterfully crafted story that draws on the failures of broken relationships and the importance of memories and moving forward.
With Sorrow, Scooterbabe has evolved in every sense. There’s maturity in the album’s lyrical direction and sound; it touches on serious topics while retaining the engaging, C86-esque twee vibe that first defined the band. The guitars are notable for their rhythmically smooth and refreshing flow (think Topshelf Records riffs), while creating melodies that often change mid-song into something completely different but equally as powerful. There are unexpected elements, too, including a violin part and guest backing vocals from singer-songwriter Jianna Justice.
Overall, Sorrow is a formidable addition to the Scooterbabe catalog that reminds one of the main thing Athens music has been missing: an honest look in the mirror. The record is the sonic accumulation of Scooterbabe’s heart and soul over the past year, and man, is it good.
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