Blonde Otter – Blonde Otter 2
New York City indie rock outfit Blonde Otter is releasing their captivating sophomore album, Blonde Otter 2, nearly five years after their first. While the group’s first effort captured the optimism one feels during young adulthood, their second is more defiant and tense. Covering themes like the lack of time for what once was, inflation, and relationship fatigue, Blonde Otter 2 is an exceptional album well-worth your attention.
The album opener, “Paper Trails,” features dissonant ambience that sets the phones ablaze before calculated grunge extinguishes the noise. The bass tone allows for two different applications: one muddy, the other slapping you in the face. The main riff, played by both the guitar and bass, is super catchy, and the crafted sound of the synthesizer is reminiscent of early Mortal Kombat (in a good way).
The icy structure of song two, “Dissolution,” is blasted apart by an explosion of warm guitars before we reach song four, “Top to the Bottom.” At first, the drums sound very distant, or like they are coming from under the creaking floorboards. The singer and bassist, Rob Falcone, pledges that, “Nothing’s getting better for anyone,” considering the current political and economic framework. The vocals are more yell-y, conveying a bit more passion overall, and the punchiness of this tight tune coaxes you to mosh.
After the wide-open, sloshy hats of “Your Number” and the Minus the Bear-like chaotic math rock of “In Circles” comes the comforting hum of synthesizer in song ten, “Try Again.” That comforting hum eventually finds a pattern to play. The deep, round snare tone aids the overall fantastic groove. The descending vocals and guitars in the chorus will definitely get stuck in your head.
Blonde Otter 2 is a great technical indie rock and new wave effort from Falcone and his bandmates. This EP is dropping on October 16, 2026, and there will be a show headlined by Blonde Otter in NYC’s Mercury Lounge on October 24, 2026. This album is FFO The Strokes, Phoenix, and Turnstile. Keep your eyes peeled for Blonde Otter 2, and check out Blonde Otter’s previous work and singles on Spotify, Apple Music, and Bandcamp!
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Jake Sessanna