On September 1st alternative indie rock band Sadie released its debut EP Static. The Orange County based band set the bar high by comparing their music to The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys among other influential artists. It’s hard to pinpoint which direction the band will take with their music as one of their influences, Arctic Monkeys, have changed their style over the years with music ranging from progressive rock and baroque pop to a more psychedelic, indie rock. As an indie lover, it was an intriguing listen.
Anticipating the release of Static, the band released their first single ‘Reach Out’. The upbeat alternative song makes for a perfect opening track for their debut EP. ‘Reach Out’ is about the general feeling of detachment from the people around you, but also the whole world, “being about a deeper understanding of feeling lost”, the band states.
Alternatively, ‘Mirror’ focuses on one specific person and it shares the thoughts and feelings of someone who is desperate to create one last good memory with another person. It is a very melancholic song, which would not misfit on an album like ‘The Car’ by Arctic Monkeys, where the retro tones allow the music to stand out in this age of time. It took me some time to realize that I didn’t even focus on the voice or the lyrics, just because the music is so easy and pleasant to listen to. Jack Clements showcases his impressive vocal abilities, in a seemingly effortless fashion, where his voice and intonation allows the lyrics to resonate more with the listener.
In contrast to the opener, ‘Ultraviolet’ has a more jazzy feel. Comparatively the vocals are more present, and the music more in the background, than they were on ‘Reach Out’. The lyrics are definitely worth paying attention to, as Sadie has a beautiful way to express not feeling ready to commit. “I don’t want to be a passenger, cause I can’t feel a thing”.
‘Commercial Break’ starts off as a commercial break, but with a similar tone and style as Ultraviolet. It sounds almost like elevator music, however with an unsettling feel, as if it leads to no good. This feeling is reinforced by the ending of the song, which is an old voice note that states ‘Art was wicked’. As it is just a five song EP, it feels unnecessary to fill the space with a song with no lyrics and ‘elevator music’, although the ending does make you curious for what’s to come.
This track makes more sense further into the EP, as it is followed by ‘Broadcast’. Once again, the sound of this song is completely different from what we’ve heard so far, sounding more angry and more rock. Musically the song is very strong however it doesn’t do justice to Clements’ vocals, where the style heard in this song can feel outdated at times. This song grows on you the more you listen to it.
As bold as a move of comparing yourself to The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys might have been, Sadie is really at the top of their game. To imagine that this is only the first EP they have released, we can be certain that we will hear a lot more from this band. You can feel that they’re still experimenting with different styles and sounds, trying to find what fits best. From jazz to space rock to the typical alternative rock sound, everything is covered. This makes it pleasant to listen to and full of surprises, but it doesn’t give you the feeling that you really get to know Sadie. For the future, I hope that Sadie develop their own sound more and create their own identity, separated from their musical influences as they definitely have what it takes to play the big stages someday.
Written by: Kelly Zwiers
