Edgy, pointed and with much to say, L.A.’s Band Aparte leaves listeners with clear feedback on where they draw a line in the sand when it comes to what they see as unhealthy and neurotic in today’s society. Their new EP, ‘Spring/Summer EP No.1 2021’ is a dark, alluring cross section of post punk goth and snappy lyrics.
Kicking off with “Drinking It All,” the band chronicles a relationship laced with too much drinking. A fast paced, head thumping beat collides with aloof vocals and an inherent haze sets in as the song loses control at the end, driving home the disconnected feeling in the single. With a black and white music video that is very much in the camp of cinéma-vérité, the band captures an extra layer of angst and self-destructive behavior.
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Amping up the intensity with a flurry of guitar strumming and anti-conventional tone, the band sinks into “What’s Holding Us Back” before turning their critique up to 10 with “Culture Industry.” The latter single is a sharp, silver-tongued middle finger to the consumer culture that permeates a false sense of authenticity. The individual wrapped in the latest trends is also the person who feels wholly unique and entitled to their bad opinions and taste. Band Aparte’s frontman, Brian Mendoza deconstructs this paradox to reveal a society tinged by capitalistic and consumer driven influence that strips away any real sense of individuality. The music video for “Culture Industry,” again shot in black and white, combines a hodgepodge of imagery from the band, oil wells, cash and macabre imagery to further drill their exasperated thoughts. Ending with a cover of Wreckless Eric’s “Whole Wide World,” the band leave listeners with a lighter single that still matches the sound of the rest of the album.
Band Aparte consists of vocalist Brian Mendoza, guitarist Ryan Fairchild, bassist Adryan Mardesich and drummer Micah Olsen. Cutting through the bullshit with intense clarity, Band Aparte’s new EP is a DIY explosion of thought, sound and experimentation. Their overall style and pointedness amp up an EP that is homegrown and not shy to mince words and ideas that go against the grain.
Words: Patti Sanchez
For more on Band Aparte, make sure to visit their Bandcamp website or to follow them on Instagram.
