By: Matthew Bocamazo
I hadn’t heard of Geordie Greep until this past August when he released his first
solo single, “Holy, Holy.” The 25-year-old launched his career in 2017 with black midi, a
rock band known for its immense talent and prog-math-rock sound. Greep was aware of
how difficult black midi’s music could be to digest given its noisy and often unsettling
and manic nature, noting people were “more into being a fan of the band than a fan of
the music.” On The New Sound, Greep’s debut album, he creates the accessible listen he
wants while still building a narrative-driven debut packed with grand Latin, jazzy,
prog-rock, and theatrical sounds—and it’s incredible.
The first track on the album, “Blues,” kickstarts the album with a frenetic guitar
riff that spawned the TikTok microtrend known as “greeping” and also includes lyrics
that definitely hype up the song’s character. Greep masterfully builds tension
throughout the song’s second verse with a swarm of fluttering guitars and, eventually,
drums that sneak into the mix. The track continues to spiral into chaos, effectively
introducing the album’s satirized main characters and outrageous lyrics that will follow.
Next comes “Terra,” a Brazilian-inspired song with samba rhythms and shakers,
offering a peaceful and danceable break. But the tranquility ends with “Holy, Holy,” the
best song on the album (and my favorite of 2024). The explosive samba-rock song tells
the story of an insecure man who pays a prostitute to create a façade that he’s the shit.
Split into two parts, the first half features the album’s most rock-driven riff, while the
second shifts to ethereal synths, revealing the truth behind their encounter.
Next, the instrumental title track (and later “Bongo Season”) gives the album
room to breathe and showcase Greep’s musicianship without the distraction of
lust-driven lyrics. “Walk Up” and “Through a War” return to the narrative, with the
former delivering a thumping final march and intense vocal performance to close the
song. “Through a War” adds triumphant horns and not-so-humble brags that
humorously depict the narrator’s attempts to impress a prostitute. The
aforementioned“Bongo Season” leads into “Motorbike,” a fast-paced track that sonically captures the feeling of running from responsibility, driven by former black midi drummer Morgan Simpson’s stellar drumming.
“As If Waltz” teases a waltz but thrives in its groovy, non-waltz sections, featuring
catchy melodies and a distorted guitar solo that more than justifies its 8-minute length.
“The Magician” is even longer by four minutes, but its theatrical three-part structure,
beautiful yet tragic lyrics, and powerful climax are completely worth the time. In
signature Greep fashion, the masterpiece gets very noisy come the song’s end, but
thankfully, it doesn’t diminish its impact.
Greep closes The New Sound with a cover of Frank Sinatra’s “If You Are But a
Dream.” Given the album’s context, the song takes on a new meaning, making for a
perfect ending to a near-perfect debut.
4.5/5
