By Caleb Oldham
Railings' Reach House EP came out almost a year ago, but it wasn't until today that its thrashing, warped guitar sounds flowed through my earbuds and compelled me to start writing this article immediately. Much like listening to the band Women for the first time, what's striking about this EP is the howling tones they get out of their guitars while still being able to pull off beautifully crafted melodies. Each track is like a little jigsaw puzzle that fades from a barrage of sound to a catchy melodic chorus, from bellowing, cracking vocals to a sweet cooing. It sounds like these guys are at war with their instruments, but they're not fighting for volume, they're fighting for a sound that will make you wander how they got there.
A giant golden cube looms over a football field on the cover of this EP - an odd place to such a monument, yet still aesthetically pleasing with the lines on the field matching up with the dimensions of the cube. Similarly, the strength on this EP lies in an oddly pleasing diversity of sound, from screeching feedback to wavy synth, that looms over a strong set of well-constructed pop songs. Railings are playing Palisades the 22nd of January at 8 pm and they are not to be missed.
Listen/Download Railings here: https://railings.bandcamp.com/