By Hailey Rose
Birthed out of the pandemic in 2020, Poolhouse played their first show and then ultimately “disappeared into the creative abyss and fought for survival,” as they’d put it. With not much else to do and nowhere to go, creativity blooms. Lucky for us, Poolhouse made it out of the abyss and onto the scene and is delivering us addictive tunes and good vibes.
Under the influence of Radiohead, Hippo Campus, and Porches, they hit it right on the nose, describing their band as “energetic Indie Guitar Pop.” Listening to this album makes me want to jump and dance around my room, sing into a hairbrush, scream along to the anthems, and then ultimately lay on the floor and “Think About Ya.” It has this boy-next-door vibe, but the boy is mentally ill and trying to make the most of this life, with all of its drudgery and complexities (which is so very real to me and strikes a chord in my heart and the hearts of their fans).
Upon listening to the first track on the album, “Sour,” I was already struck with excitement. It’s thrilling hearing that little guitar riff at the beginning, and then the bass buckles me in for the rest of the song. I noticed a lot of language used in this song that leaves it open to interpretation. For instance, the lyric reads, “You know just what I think about…” and “On that same shit since we last spoke.” It never really says what exactly it is they’re talking about, but the listener will hear and just… know. It makes me think of a past love that went bad over time. You can’t exactly pinpoint when or what it was that went wrong or how to get back to where you were with them. It just makes you want to scream. And you CAN! To this song!
“Employee of the Month” is my own personal drug. I cannot stop listening to this song. In between verses and the chorus, there’re these synth-breathy vocals that carry you away somewhere into the cosmos, or at least above Utah Valley’s pollution haze. It’s definitely far away from wherever you are. This song is the anthem of those who work in the service industry (at least that’s how I’ve interpreted it). It’s the outcry of those who are on the edge of burnout. The song has a melancholy undertone that echoes this empathetic attitude. It reminds me of when you’re with your coworkers and work sucks, but you’re in it together. I’ve never listened to a song before that was able to really articulate this experience until now.
The song “Tape Machine” is something of a musical reflex that took over for the boys. Let me share with you this direct quote from the band:
“Three days before going into the studio to record, we only had four songs and really felt the EP should have five. In those three days we decided to forget everything we thought we knew about writing and let our instincts take over and make something that is all the things we like about music without thinking about it. The song ‘Tape Machine’ was born from that process and kinda wrote itself. We let it be what it is. Letting things be how they are or what they are is a big part of what Poolhouse is. So we decided to name the EP after ‘Tape Machine.’”
Well there you have it, folks. Tape Machine by Poolhouse. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the journey it’s taken me on and I hope you join me in this bliss. I encourage the band to keep it up with the ways they’ve started to mix genres, with their guitar riffs and synth interludes. Provo needs more experimental music and I’m asking, begging, pleading that Poolhouse continues to deliver it! I hope they won’t be afraid to make it more personal, too. You’d be surprised how the collective responds and comes together over artists that pour their heart out into their music.
Make sure you give Poolhouse a follow on Instagram (so you can say you discovered them before they blew up big time). You can listen to “Employee of the Month” below. You’re welcome.