Streaming on Spotify now, the highly anticipated debut album from Smallpools, LOVETAP!, is the perfect fusion of their self titled EP and what anyone could hope for from the LA quartet. Smallpools have a way of putting out the perfect pop earworm every time and LOVETAP! definitely upholds that trend.
“American Love,” a track that’s perfect to get a room on their feet when it’s played live, is just as energetic recorded as the opener on the album. Starting with fifteen seconds of strings before launching right into a verse punched with claps and exclamations of ‘hey!,’ it quickly becomes clear to anyone why Smallpools are so fun live. “Killer Whales,” previously a free single that has to be a tie in to the huge inflatable killer whales that Smallpools have become known for surfing through their crowds, is just as dynamic and entertaining as it was the first time I heard it.
Smallpools takes a step back and pulls out a tried and true track- one infectious enough to work its way up Alt Nation’s Alt 18. “Dreaming,” the lead single from their self titled, leads smoothly into “Karaoke,” the official first single from LOVETAP!. The perfect track to put on when the date’s going right and the night is still young, “Karaoke” sings of a night on the town where the lights twinkle and the world stops to let everyone just be for a little while.
“Street Fight,” my favorite song, talks about having a friend’s back no matter what the situation because well, that’s what friends do for one another. I can see it being the song in the background of a thousand spring and summer break compilation Instagram videos for good reason. The next two tracks, “Mason Jar” and “Over and Over” are borrowed from the self titled as well, and for the first time in a long time- I don’t mind the usage of older tracks. Generally, it feels like a cop out where the band is putting a track they know they have an audience for on and in this context, they fit with the flow and tone of LOVETAP! well enough that it’s like they were written for this album, just released a couple years earlier.
Into the titular “Lovetap!”, vocalist Sean Scanlon talks out the side of his mouth at the start and shows his range through the track. Sultry in lyrical content and playful musically, night time encounters have never sounded prettier, at least. “Dyin’ to Live” bounces around with an uplifting, unifying song that says yeah, Smallpools might make super danceable songs- but everyone gets down on themselves and has to figure out how to pick themselves up again.
“Admission to Your Party” has been a song I’ve been dying to hear recorded since I caught a snippet of it from a show Smallpools played with Walk the Moon ages ago. It’s exactly what it sounds like- a song about a party that could get away with being in the playlist without it being too meta or cheesy, and it’s got cheeky lyrics and a quick beat that would keep people dancing. “9 to 5” is a standout, as well- everyone always sings of wanting to get away and live in a fantasy for a little while, and Smallpools decide to turn the tables and write of wanting a stable, consistent lifestyle to a track full of “la la la”s and engaging, chanting choruses.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rdV4YbNaqM[/youtube]“(Submarine),” spare a few difficult to understand, echoing vocals, is like the instrumental cool down lap after a long session of exercise. Although it could be a risky move to put an almost entirely instrumental track as the closer to a debut album, it works in their favor, especially due to how upbeat the previous thirteen tracks had been.
The only point of discontent that I have with LOVETAP! is that it’s disappointing not to see a calmer side of Smallpools other than in “(Submarine.)” They’ve very effectively carved out an indie pop niche for themselves that has gained them a solid fanbase – but I’m curious what a slower track would sound like from them. And granted, they do indie pop incredibly well- enough to have been able to tour without a full length release for nearly two years, but that doesn’t calm my curiosity. Overall, though, LOVETAP! is a quality debut album and enough to keep me sticking around through this album cycle- but I do hope to see some progression outside of their box with their next release.
You can catch Smallpools on tour this April and May, and find their music on these sites:
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