Hello Reader,
Welcome back. Hope all is well with you. We’re back with our first album review of the year.
While looking for brand new music to listen to and share with you, I heard good things about an album by a band I wasn’t familiar with. Letter to Self is the debut album from Irish band SPRINTS. Out for your listening pleasure on the Berlin based, fabulous label City Slang Records. The band released two EPs, Manifesto (2021) and A Modern Job (2022) which positively built off each other in terms of developing SPRINTS own musical style and sound. After listening to both EPs, it is easy to hear the bands growing confidence. Front woman Karla Chubb’s vocal deliveries are well channeled aggressions especially pronounced in A Modern Job and band members Colm O’Reilly (lead guitar), Sam McCann (bass guitar) and Jack Callan (drums) musicianship improve from the first EP to the second. For perspective, retroactive grades on the EPs would be 3.5 Scum Drops for Manifesto and 4.5 Scum Drops for A Modern Job relative to other EPs released in their respective release years.
Hype videos for Letter to Self album incoming!:
Strobe light warning. Grab your water, open the window, take deep breaths, “Heavy”:
(All credits and rights to SPRINTS)
“Shaking Their Hands”:
Passionate pursuits in “Literary Mind”:
(All credits and rights to SPRINTS)
Breaking free with “Up and Comer”:
(All credits and rights to SPRINTS)
The eponymous “Letter to Self”:
(All credits and rights to SPRINTS)
I have a soft spot for any garage punk or garage rock music due to its raw energy, driving pacing and melodic structure. This album, Letter to Self, is better than most albums within those subgenres that have been released in recent memory, mainly due to its vocals, lyrics and musicianship. Chubb has collected varying emotions as part of existing and channels all of them back into the mic, pouring her entire being into an incredible energy that we listeners hear clearly in the vocal delivery, and that to my ears, leaves nothing unturned or misunderstood. She explores herself, her feelings and mind in a meticulous nature. She’s gay and living in a fluid space by not “fitting into” narrow-minded stereotypes of being a Woman, she’s experienced Catholic guilt and homophobia both external and internalized among other themes her writing explores, including but not limited to anxiety and depression. Many songs are cathartic for Chubb and relatable for the listener. The band as a whole is excellent in its musicianship. O’Reilly and McCann craft perfect moods and ambiance through their guitars and Callan does so on drums. These rhythms and melodies pair succinctly with the lyrics and vocal deliveries. A wonderful listening experience. Kudos to Daniel Fox in his role as producer.
A song by song delve, has “Ticking” kick off the Letter to Self album with a ticking beat from the drum kit followed quickly by guitars and vocals in a beautiful envelopment, setting the mood for the rest of the song and also the album. You’re in it now.
The second song, “Heavy” is also wonderfully immersive. It again grabs ahold of you. The lyrics, vocal repetition, the chord and beat pace create a beautifully frantic atmosphere. Well paired vocals at times. Not a song for those in an anxious state as your paranoia will worsen.
“Cathedral” opens with driving guitar and a steady beat. I really liked the dueling vocals, and the frantic mood of the song. In my mind, this song is a great example of a garage punk melody.
“Shaking Their Hands” is more of a ballad due to the slower guitars and at times, more softly in terms of tone but still forcefully delivered vocals by Chubb. Some would say this song is a slow burn, an homage to a 90s sound. Regardless, “Shaking Their Hands” is still very much a SPRINTS tune.
The fifth song on Letter to Self, “Adore Adore Adore” examines standards of beauty. What are they? How do they affect Chubb? She lets out her rage, and dissatisfaction.
“Shadow of a Doubt” is a deeply cathartic song for Chubb. She is in her own head, in a dark place, feeling suicidal thoughts but the literal act of writing this song down helps gets her thoughts out.
“Can’t Get Enough of It” recalls negative relationships and our relationships to those triggers and feelings. The rhythm section’s repeated guitar line and rolling drums depict the repetitive nature of one’s life whether regardless of where we currently stand in its cycle.
“Literary Mind” is perhaps the most lighthearted song on the album. I loved the dueling vocals. Lyrically this is a song about exploring queer love, the narrator and the unmentioned “her.”
“A Wreck (A Mess)” – is a song about overthinking, becoming more and more anxious, working yourself up in a state where you’re at a standstill in terms of progress. Relatable for many.
“Up and Comer” is a song that conveys intense frustration in its vocals. Chubb examines her imposter syndrome. The negativity, doubts and self-doubts of being a female in the music scene. She’s channeled her anger and frustration and breaking free! It’s a powerful experience.
The closing song and title song, “Letter to Self” is a letter to Chubb and you the listener. The song’s intentions are to close the chapter, leaving negative experiences in the past and move to better ones in the present and future. It’s loud at times fitting with its emotion, but ultimately it’s triumphant.
Letter to Self gets 4.5 out of 5 Scum Drops from me. It’s an excellent album. SPRINTS debut is a great propulsion into the ears and minds of the listener. It’s an energetic, charismatic and engaging album. SPRINTS are here to stay, listen to their music! Karla Chubb is a force; and the band knows how to craft a mood and attach lyrics to it so damn perfectly. They are fantastic musicians and we at SWT, look forward to all the music they release in the future! Add Letter to Self to your collection on any format. Though I think it would sound most amazing on vinyl, myself.
New year, new readers, here’s some more about our ratings system for more perspective:
- a 1.0 Scum Drop rating would roughly translate to the 0-11th percentile of all albums in a given year.
- a 1.5 Scum Drops rating would be the 12th-23rd percentile.
- a 2.0 Scum Drops rating would be the 24th-35th percentile.
- a 2.5 Scum Drops rating would be the 36th-47th percentile.
- a 3.0 Scum Drops rating would be the 48th-59th percentile.
- a 3.5 Scum Drops rating would be the 60th-71st percentile.
- a 4.0 Scum Drops rating would be the 72nd-83rd percentile.
- a 4.5 Scum Drops rating would be the 84th-95th percentile.
- and a 5.0 Scum Drops rating would be the 96th-100th percentile.
Even more insight here.
Letter to Self Tracklist [song length]
- Ticking [3:06]
- Heavy [3:27]
- Cathedral [2:59]
- Shaking Their Hands [3:42]
- Adore Adore Adore [2:37]
- Shadow of a Doubt [4:10]
- Can’t Get Enough of It [4:19]
- Literary Mind [4:32]
- A Wreck (A Mess) [3:36]
- Up and Comer [3:46]
- Letter to Self [3:20]
Total run time: 39:00
I’ll always advocate that you take the time to listen to every album in its entirety. This process is usually an hour or less from start to finish. Along the way, you’ll discover your own favorite songs without influence or bias of others. After a few listens on my own, the songs that are highlighted in green font above are my favorite songs on the album.
For more about the band SPRINTS including tour information, all their socials and where to find their music, go here:
Thanks for reading and supporting good music.
Until next time,
Alex
Scummy Water Tower Productions co-founder, reviewer, business manager, and editor. Thank you for visiting this site: scummywatertower.com, and YouTube for Water Tower Sessions!
Contact me: alex@scummywatertower.com
