The first thing I noticed when I came across Looking by Brooklyn three-piece The Can’t Tells was that their influences were Modest Mouse and Bright Eyes. As two major cornerstones of my youth and love for all things indie rock, my interest was peaked and I was not disappointed.
Hammer it in with my love/ Breaking the skin/ Feel my pain now/ Please don’t pretend/ Just believe I’m sorry/ I am mixed up/ I’m so bad
What makes Looking so incredible is that all structure is abandoned for a captivating seven minutes with two distinct parts. The melancholic intro careens by with wistful vocals of love, loss, and hope. “How can I hide what keeps me breathing?/ Give me a sign that you won’t deceive me, please,” they sing before the tempo and vocals quicken. They become more tender and raw, pleading for forgiveness amongst a flurry of confusion and guitars that wake up your feet and legs. The pace picks up once more. Now it’s more frantic. Maracas enter. “It’s not for fun/ Pretending that I’m so sorry/ I’m just mixed up/ I’m so bad/ Can’t I just can’t stop?!” He yells when the climactic breakdown begins and the trio loses their shit in a glorious moment of expunging all emotion and will from your toes, fingers, and head.
If only all music made you feel the way Looking by The Can’t Tells did. We’ll find out if they can replicate this on November 12 when they drop their new EP. No pressure, guys.