Heavy America – Tails
By Libby Driscoll
When I first began listening to Tails, I’m guilty to admit I presumed the lasted track from Heavy America would be a run of the mill, retro-inspired bit of dad rock- oh how I was wrong.
Heavy America - Tails
The influence of prestigious ‘70s and ‘80s rock is without a doubt apparent in the stylistic choices of this Boston-based trio, but has been rounded in a way which feels much more refined as opposed to blatantly unoriginal. The intro ignites with an abundance of wah guitar and tight snares, but it’s not until the verse where the song begins to stand on its own two feet. Behind staggered vocal harmonies, the metallic overdriven guitar clashes itself amongst the tracks main focus giving it more of a prog/psych rock edge. The effects, though jarring, I personally feel work seriously well in giving the song its own unique flare, however I do think it’ll be a marmite case where listeners either get it, or they don’t.
What I especially like is the fact that Tails doesn’t adhere to a standardised pop/rock structure where you’d wait until the latter half to hear a breakdown or middle eight. Instead, this comes in a little after the 01:30 mark, and though not a revolutionary act to change the structure of a song, sometimes the simplicity of changing the odd thing here and there does wonders for the level of grip the track actually has on you.
Travelling further through the song, the more modern influence akin to Queens of the Stone Age is heard in certain corners of the music, progressing into heavy riffs and seriously slick beats. The vocals on the track hold themselves exceedingly well against the broader arrangement, without opting for the dreaded whininess some vocalists feel is necessary to stand at the forefront of the music.
Tails is an impressive single from Heavy America. It has the strong roots of the music we grew up listening to yet offers something resiliently refreshing. With the standard now set so high, I really look forward to what the band have in the works for their next release.