by Elise Barbin (@elisecbarb)
If last year’s debut LP When The Tree Bears Fruit delivered an anthology of twee-punk fairy tales, Parsnip’s new EP represents a burgeoning adolescence for the band as they test out new tones and take on larger themes. On Adding Up, the Melbournian quartet buoys a scrappiness and more robust sound while still glimpsing the joy of their previous work.
Each of the four songs offshoots from a place of hooky pop sensibilities, under which lyrics about everyday mundanities and strife sit. The title track sets this speed with a heartland-rock pep while lamenting the never-ending grind of money owed. “Repeater” with its sliding ebullient synths soundtracks a Groundhog Day-like existence.
Highlighting the ten minute runtime is the extended solo on the back half of “Crossword Cheater,” led by a tough guitar riff à la Ricky Wilson. For a group that thrives in playing with precision -- in the poetic metering of vocal delivery, their meticulously decorative production style -- it’s exciting to see them throw that out the window for a minute and play their instruments instinctually. More than anything, this release shows a marked step up in musicianship and an underlying confidence to pull it all off.