Among the most striking tracks I’ve heard so far this year, “Roaring Twenties” is a surefire success from Gem and Eye. The NYC-based brother-sister duo harness a sound both nostalgic and cutting-edge. A quivering croon fit for ’60s psych-pop navigates through faultless production, with buzzing guitars, climactic rhythms, and dark string-based undercurrents. A serene vocal-fronted bridge evolves into a blistering guitar solo just past the two-minute, unleashing an exhilarating moment that follows a bevy of hooks. Aesthetically, there are moments lovably reminiscent of The Last Shadow Puppets, in addition to The Carpenters. “Roaring Twenties” is a thoroughly enjoyable track.
Another highlight from the duo’s newly released self-titled album, “Pleasure Principle” is another highlight with strong stylistic fervor. Dubbed more as “sexy, spy-rock,” this suave gem sounds as if Black Box Recorder were enlisted to craft a Bond theme song. The anthemic chorus at the one-minute mark shows a radio-friendly charm, as well. The album is filled with memorable efforts like these.
Stream both tracks and the rest of this strongly enjoyable album below:
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“Roaring Twenties” and other memorable tracks from this month can also be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of July 2020’ Spotify playlist.
The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Indie Rock.
