SLEIGH BELLS TELL it hard and sweet and ya gotta love ‘EM for it /// The Burning Ear

you’re just a weatherman, we make the wind blow

If pressing play on “Tell ‘Em” (above) causes instant repulsion then Sleigh Bells are not for you. However, if even one tiny little part of your brain is intrigued or moved by these face melting (see victims at right) sonic blasts then stay with me and hold on tight. When Sleigh Bells first ripped onto the interwebs late last year I was by no means amused. It just sound like loud for loud’s sake. Well shit, I still don’t know why, but now know I am into this business. I stewed on first album leak “Tell ‘Em” for a while and now that their debut Treats is out I have been letting it pound my ears in pleasure as I slowly come to terms with how great these jams. “Tell ‘Em” opens like a national anthem fighting with a jackhammer-possessed drum machine and the rest of the album follows suit as it brilliantly blends hyper-crunched beats, distorted samples, and delicate female vocals. It’s like how I would imagine top 40 radio sounding in some future dystopian universe.

♫ Sleigh Bells – Rill Rill

“Rill Rill” is the album’s calmest moment and fits the best with the album’s cover art as Alexis Krauss sings about friends and trends over a great Funkadelic sample. Don’t get lulled too deep though ’cause next on the album is the epic “Crown On The Ground” which stomps and shreds so hard that you will think your speakers are blown out. They aren’t. Well not yet anyway, although if you are enjoying this music at the appropriately extreme volume then they soon will be. Get started now by giving the whole album a listen!

BONUS: ♫ Sleigh Bells – Beach Girls

“Beach Girls” isn’t on the album but is an early demo from last years 2HELLWU CDR and gives a good sense of how early in the game Sleigh Bells had formed their sound. On a completely different note, is anyone else hearing that guitar from Django Django’s “WOR” in “A/B Machines”? Either way, it sounds good to me!

UPDATE: “Beach Girls” has actually been reworked and is on the album as “Kids.” An understandable mistake. Maybe.

Bury your face in MySpace

Written by: Brandon on May 26, 2010.

Tagged as: Sleigh Bells

http://www.bitchslapmag.com danny

Anyone see these guys live? i'm wondering if I should go see em tonight (at Primavera Sound) but they clash with Pavement :{(
FatedToPretend

I'm not sure because I haven't heard the album, but the Stereogum article comments that Beach Girls has become track 2 on the album, called Kids.
With regard to the tracks you have posted – I fell in love with Tell 'Em a little on first play today. I agree that it is loud for louds sake, but when was the last time we got that? A little bit of jarring, heavy dance music never hurt anyone.
dold

Wait a second…wasn't “Rill Rill” originally called “Ring Ring” when if first surfaced back in Dec '09? Why the name change? Still loving it all the same.
http://www.TheBurningEar.com/ Brandon @ TBE

You, Sir, are very right. Upon closer listen they are the same track but the intro and recording quality had changed so much that I didn't piece it together. Even though I had also read that Stereogum piece. Jeez, getting old I guess… Thanks for setting me straight! And so true about the rarity of this kind of balls out rock music. Sleigh Bells are definitely blazing fresh territory here!
http://www.TheBurningEar.com/ Brandon @ TBE

Yup, it was. No idea why they changed it because the lyrics are still Ring Ring. Crazy kids…
http://www.TheBurningEar.com/ Brandon @ TBE

I've heard that they RIP IT UP so definitely go see them! And report back! I wish I could.
http://www.bitchslapmag.com danny

Yea they did rip it up! I was pretty blurry by then but I had a fucking great time.
The Books and Wild Beasts were also fucking awesome, The XX was Fucking awesome towards the end, and Surfer Blood had a shitty slot. Oh and Broken Social Scene was suprisingly good.
http://www.TheBurningEar.com/ Brandon @ TBE

Niiiice. I really need to listen to more Wild Beasts. I keep hearing good things but I only know “Devil's Crayon.” Thanks for the word on the show!
MattOd

Some radio presenter got the name of the song wrong when he was playing it on his show and they decided it'd be ironic to change the name to that.
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http://www.TheBurningEar.com/ Brandon @ TBE

haha, nice. Thanks for the backstory. Reminds me of how Silverchair got their name. They were requesting some Nirvana song and the DJ said it wrong. Or something like that. My 90s music lore is a bit hazy :)
Jared

I've seen them live, their in your face, loud, obnoxious and she owns that stage like no other.
http://www.TheBurningEar.com/ Brandon @ TBE

Man, I really gotta see them. I'm a little worried I'll develop a huge crush on her, though. Sounds like raw awesomeness to me!
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