REMEMBER SPORTS - LIKE A STONE (Eco-Mix) Vinyl LP
Despite its sometimes heavy themes, Like a Stone’s twelve tracks riff better than your very best memories of MTV, and never quibble about shifting genres when it suits the song. Gates-storming opener “Pinky Ring,” road-tested by the band on its headlining 2019 dates, takes a teasing schoolyard melody and pairs it with bright tambourine. “Eggs'' and “Odds Are” show off Nashville licks and croon-along vocals respectively, drawing from Carmen’s childhood love for Tejano music and country, including her uncle’s band Los Jackalopes; the latter has one of the album’s best examples of her darkly funny lyrics when she asks, “Why’d you lick those tongs - the ones you just got raw meat on?” With gated drums reminiscent of an aughties pop highlights comp, “Out Loud” sees the contributors trading lead vocals over portamento synth scoops, resonant strums and even bongo overdubs from Connor. “Carmen got to go full Ariana Grande,” Jack says of the diva-leagues vocal chops on display, “and the whispering she does on that last chorus is one of the most special moments on the record for me.” “Flossie Dickie,” composed by Catherine, nods to the band’s punk roots with untethered fretboard acrobatics. And “Coffee Machine,” with music written by Jack, manages to meld easy organs, muted surf guitar, and aloof group harmonies in an eerily cozy 39 seconds.
Unexpected section changes abound, but are never inscrutable; these songs reward repeat listens to unpack every exacting hook. They’re about insecurity, sure, but they’re also about optimism—emerging from an intrusive thought with a new way to perceive and care for yourself, represented in spectacular denouements made possible by the closeness between the band members. “We’ve grown up together and grown to trust each other,” says Carmen. In recording, Jack felt drawn to music that’s “communal and loud and cathartic, but also kinda confidential and private. I hope we achieved something similar, where you can hear the influence of each of us in the album.” Carmen seconds that; “It feels seamless. To me, Jack and Catherine’s writing feels like an extension of my own.” If Like a Stone is an exploration in treating yourself with more generosity, it’s an encouraging example, and also a representation of the magic that can happen when you surround yourself with people who love you—especially when you lose sight of how to do that for yourself.
Unexpected section changes abound, but are never inscrutable; these songs reward repeat listens to unpack every exacting hook. They’re about insecurity, sure, but they’re also about optimism—emerging from an intrusive thought with a new way to perceive and care for yourself, represented in spectacular denouements made possible by the closeness between the band members. “We’ve grown up together and grown to trust each other,” says Carmen. In recording, Jack felt drawn to music that’s “communal and loud and cathartic, but also kinda confidential and private. I hope we achieved something similar, where you can hear the influence of each of us in the album.” Carmen seconds that; “It feels seamless. To me, Jack and Catherine’s writing feels like an extension of my own.” If Like a Stone is an exploration in treating yourself with more generosity, it’s an encouraging example, and also a representation of the magic that can happen when you surround yourself with people who love you—especially when you lose sight of how to do that for yourself.
credits
released April 23, 2021
Remember Sports is Catherine Dwyer, Carmen Perry, Connor Perry, and Jack Washburn
Remember Sports is Catherine Dwyer, Carmen Perry, Connor Perry, and Jack Washburn