THROW ME THE STATUE
MOONBEAMS

With tracks titles like "This is How We Kiss", and "Written in Heart Signs, Faintly", Throw Me The Statue's latest release, Moonbeams is infused with plenty of lovey-dovey ethos. Yet, TMTS, conceived by singer-songwriter Scott Reitherman, never even skirts on the cloying and annoying. With punchy accordion playing, 8th beat drumming, and xylophone touches evocative of a child's toy piano, fan-fav "Lolita" tastes like sleep-away camp and sounds the way a teenage romance can only be perceived in hindsight: We don't have the overzealous intensity of a emo track but a genuinely lighthearted and up-tempo pop tune that inevitably explodes into a premature mess of notes and hormones. Reitherman never takes himself too seriously, and that’s what makes the album so cohesive and enjoyable. The instrumentals are a mixed bag, with bits of glockenspiel, harpsichord and too many others to count on the playlist. However, never at any point does it try to overwhelm the listener. Instead, it's a fun little game between the artist and the fan: how many instruments can I squish into your head at one time? Lyrically, he keeps it simple, winding tracks with flirty one-liners. "Every night I pray, she comes around to stay", repeats the singer-songwriter. On "About to Walk" and "Conquering Kids", synth overlays, lo-fi guitars and organs draw distinct comparisons to Claps Your Hands Say Yeah and The Shins. Reitherman has his face shoved up the indie horn of plenty. And we love it.

Reitherman finishes off Moonbeams with what seems to pay homage to his adopted home city, Seattle. Reitherman, who left his native California in favor of inspiration in damper climates, moved to the birth place of all-things 90s relevant before getting started on Moonbeams. As a result, title track "Moonbeams and The Happiest Man on This Plane" are mellower, melancholic tunes, with brass and acoustic guitars reminiscent of the original alternative, Sonic Youth. Overall, the album's significance lies in the fact that it touts Seattle's own everlasting significance; it is full of strange fun and strength, with a variety of stylistic choices that proves there's still new, great work yet to come from the former epicenter of grunge. - Megan Diamondstein