Cooler – Phantom Phuzz
Through being cool? Well try being Cooler. Buffalo’s emogaze-alternative all-stars return for round two with Phantom Phuzz, a six-track EP of regret, carbonated soft drinks, and that sweet, fuzzy thickness. The album’s carefully crafted tones compete vigorously with lyrical prowess and song structure for prominence, bringing relevant elements of juxtaposition to Cooler’s sophomore effort. Recorded with Jay Zubricky of GCR Audio and mastered by Anthony Delplato, Cooler’s Phantom Phuzz is our Album of the Week. Phantom Phuzz opens appropriately with quiet-loud sweller “Pave Age,” a wordless eruption of articulate guitar leads, volatile drum statements, and of course, the album’s principal element—the phantom phuzz itself. That’s just the thing about the album’s title, it perfectly encapsulates the overarching sonic theme—apparition-esque reverb paired with generous amounts of thick, fuzzy distortion. The resulting combination is largely impenetrable and pure ear candy for fans of early 90’s alternative and the shoegaze subgenre that reached[...]