There has always been a great deal of fascination with a band’s debut album. Whether it be due to an album’s incredibly refreshing and innovative sound, because of an enigmatic member or persona, or because the the band’s rise has been public and anticipatory. And then there are albums like 1,2,3’s New Heaven, the kind of debut that goes seemingly unnoticed, but an album which deserves both critical acclaim and respectable fanfare.
I remember stumbling upon one of 1,2,3’s original demos; a track called “Confetti” which was made the rounds across a few music blogs and websites. I’m not entirely sure why I decided to listen to it, but regardless of the reason, I instantly fell in love. The rhythmic pounding of the tom drum and cymbals, the near vocalization of the guitar, and the all around infectious tone, “Confetti” was a hit. But that was well over a year before the announcement of New Heaven, and so each time I returned to “Confetti” it seemed more and more apparent that 1,2,3 had turned to dust, a trend all too familiar with the grueling pace of the internet (Remember Odd Future? They were cool). So an album in and of itself seemed impressive to me, but New Heaven isn’t just a novelty, it’s a truly great album that blends multiple genres and perfects the sound of modern independent rock.
There’s the sad country song (“Sorry, Soldier”), the catchy indie pop tunes (“Work,” “Confetti,” “Riding Coach”) and nearly everything in between. You’ll hear synths, strings, acoustic and electric guitars. There are comparisons and blanket statements to be made, sure, but that doesn’t mean that New Heaven sounds contrived or plagiarized. In fact quite the opposite, on a track like “Lonesome Boring Summer” the shaking of maracas and the glistening of the synthesizers come together in a beautiful mix of bouncy rhythm and sad narration. Lead singer Nic Snyder’s twangy vocals add to the strange suspension built throughout the track, crafting a mysterious and winding track, a brilliant departure from most of the album’s sound. On “Riding Coach” Snyder’s vocal range is showcased, changing from falsetto to a quick baritone note between verses. Towards the middle of the track the pace shifts from slow and echoing guitar notes to a vibrant surf guitar solo. It’s these small alterations within each track that prevent any track, and especially the album as a whole, from becoming stale upon multiple listens.
New Heaven may not have the clamoring of other highly-anticipated debut albums, but what it lacks in commercial backing it thoroughly makes up for in content. And although there’s no such thing as the perfect album, New Heaven is one of those albums that can be played in its entirety multiple times in a day and still sound energetic, and I’ve done just that in the past weeks. From “Work”‘s nearly irish-infused chorus arrangement to “20,000 Blades”‘ shift-changing outro, New Heaven is as complete an album as anything else released this year. Maybe you had forgotten about these guys since the circulation of “Confetti,” or maybe you’ve never heard of them, but 1,2,3 have proven their capacity to release undeniably catchy and engaging music, and hopefully this first offering will not go unnoticed.
