Tideland – Lull
Tideland hails from Sterling, Virginia – a town with a history of notable local bands within the independent punk and hardcore scene such as pg.99, Sail, and Pizza. In the wake of their predecessors, Tideland has effectively carried the torch, continuing to create songs that will have you thinking it’s actually 1993 again.
With Lull, their latest full length album, they’ve effectively blended grunge rock with infectious, toe-tapping melodies. Each track is driven by grunge rock guitars and Jon Hand’s unique vocal style. The opening track, “Starbound”, begins with a heavenly drone that builds into a frenzy of rolling drums and guitar. Despite the obvious punk influences in their style, Tideland throws in a healthy dose of shoegaze elements, reminiscent of bands like Hopesfall.
While listening to Hand’s vocals, I couldn’t help but think of Doug Martsch, especially in “Carved in Mine” as the guitars complement each other with crunchy distortion and clean melodies. “Desolate” takes a slight departure from the other songs with a slower tempo and a bit of a Western feel. “Dinosaur” is another standout track with a mix of beauty and rawness fueled by the pleasantly dissonant combination of distortion and slide guitars. The closing track, “Way To Die”, ends the album on a contradictory note with a hint of both bittersweetness and optimism. As the guitars fade out, there is a sense of finality and hope that connect back to the buildup at the beginning of the opening track, and it feels like everything has come full circle.
Lull only features eight tracks, but each is robust and never disappoints. Every song stands perfectly on their own, but the album does have a consistent flow that is best appreciated with a full listen. Many bands are desperately nostalgic, looking to reclaim the glory days of music in the 90s, but Tideland pulls it off effortlessly and without pretense. Fans of influential artists like Sonic Youth, Treepeople, and Dinosaur Jr. will definitely appreciate the purity and authenticity of Tideland’s sound.
Lull is available for purchase on Bandcamp in assorted formats including mp3, CD, tape, and 12” vinyl.
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