Label: Mom+Pop
Released: 22nd September 2023
Underscores’ wildly exciting second album starts with ‘Cops And Robbers’, a smirking electropunk anthem about a bank robber hiding out in a small Michigan town, before the robotic party anthem ‘Locals (Girls Like Us)’ brings together Lady Gaga, Nine Inch Nails and Gorillaz. It’s a bold beginning, but ‘Wallsocket’ thrives on those big swings.
‘Geez Louise’ is a glitching, seven-minute epic that makes nods to Underscores’ previous work as a revolutionary hyper-pop artist but trades sugary nostalgia for intimate storytelling. There are moments of unease with the creeping ‘Horror Movie Soundtrack’ and the twisting escapism of ‘Good Luck Final Girl’ that all feed into the sprawling concept of the album.
As loud as ‘Wallsocket’ is though, the most powerful moments come with the calm inbetween storms. ‘Shoot To Kill, Kill Your Darlings’ trembles with a quiet rage while the razorsharp ‘You Don’t Even Know Who I Am’ is bitter, furious but celebratory. ‘Wallsocket’ is an attention-grabbing album that’ll keep you coming back as the intricate world reveals itself.
