by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
There are more ideas packed into your average EIEIEIO single than many dare to attempt on an album. If most popular music is relatively boring, than the Western MA trio of Max Goldstein (Maxshh, Rong, Fred Cracklin), Zosia Kochanski (Wishbone Zoe), and Sam Brivic (Crimson Blue, Tundrastomper) are a long way from pop, and despite some profound complexity, EIEIEIO’s sound is a vision of what pop could be. You just need to believe. The band aren’t making complicated music for the sake of making complicated music, but the three musicians push one another, exploring their capabilities as it relates to the songs. With brevity always at the forefront, EIEIEIO create tangled music that never feels grandiose or overthought. Everything feels off the cuff, potentially combustible from one moment to the next. Following a collection of covers, a pair of EPs, and a split with Brooklyn’s Gorgeous, EIEIEIO return with “Gentleman Stop!”, a new cassette due out December 2nd via Sad Cactus Records (This New Basement, Double Grave, Fitness).
“Mower” is record’s first single, one of the band’s longest to date, blends warm acoustics, jaunty bass, and Max Goldstein keeping everything in a constant state of flux with an elastic range of percussion. Brivic handles the vocals, opting for a surreal and dreamy approach, gently laying the melody over the band’s soft chaos. It’s all intricately connected, with every passing idea seemingly given space with the band’s tight framework. The video, directed by Gabe Camarano, captures trippy 3-D renderings of the band (Goldstein complete with a chainsaw) out among nature, aliens, and warped reality. There’s weird eggs, mini guitars, and enough psychedelic pooling for everyone.
Speaking about the song, Brivic shared:
“'Mower' is a two-way journey between the brain and the gut; a contemplation on the insecurity, love, delusions, and whimsy wrapped around a morsel of food. As I eat my meal, all I can think about is how excited I am for the next one. Every bite is a mounting dread that only my stomach acid can sizzle away. Hunger is the relentless churn that will slice every last blade of grass. This is a classic example of figuring out the meaning of a song several years after the fact. As I wrote the lyrics, I was confused. But that makes sense; food will always be one beautiful mystery to me."