Necter’s Spilt Milk Is Peachy-Keen!
Written by: Cait Elizabeth February 2020
Edited by: Travis Ryan
Proper hydration is a key element to being a Necter fan. Between the happy tears, the sad tears, and the nonstop boogie, dehydration is of significant concern. Following full-length album At The Core and single Bruise Your Ego, their nascent LP Spilt Milk follows the tradition of shredding heartstrings.
The four-piece, made up of Brianna Martinsen, Sam Raia, Kieran Perdie, and Ryan Cullinane, brings a heavier sound to the table with Spilt Milk. Layering rich guitar over punchy drums and crowning it with powerful vocals, the peaches have outdone themselves. Sam and Bri both have the rare capability of shifting between angelic harmonies and gorgeous, gritty, punk-rock deliveries with ease.
Emotionally charged lyrics remain a staple of Necter’s songs, covering matters like independence, identity, love, loss, and reflection. Endlessly relatable snapshots of life lived under a filter of anxiety reassure us that we’re not alone in our struggles. Necter writes music for cauterizing heartache, embracing the pain fully in order to survive—or rather, to thrive. The real vulnerability and brave self-awareness will take your breath away, if all the dancing hasn’t abducted it already.
The 10-track album begins with “Culprit Duo”, which immediately grabs you by the ears and takes you for a spin. Bright guitar work leads the intro with panning audio and pithy drum hits. “I Should Know Better” addresses autonomy, loneliness, and self-worth and is the song I needed to hear in my early 20s.
“Happy Misery” simply shines. Epitomizing the very specific flavor of happy-sad that Necter is so loved for, the song gives us a perfect bop with room for crying, sing-a-longs, and brass adoration.
Sam takes lead on the next two tracks. “Honey” takes the mood down with haunting vocals and entrancing guitar riffs, raising the topic of responsibility and the future that freaks us out. Warm acoustic guitar and guest-star Jame Haye’s shimmering trumpet play chase with Sam’s voice in “Run”.
“Navii” showcases Bri’s darker vocals. The bouncing drums and driving bass lines create a sense of urgency that mirrors the pressure conveyed within the lyrics. You can feel the tension rise with lines like “I’ve got a sickly sinking feeling, oh no. A perpetual panic. All this chaos, it might be too much. Bend over backwards but it’s still not enough.”
“Quiet as a Mouse” is going to single-handedly spark dance parties the world over. You can’t help but move when the chorus hits, and it begs to be sung back at the band from off-stage. “Uokaybro” gives you a moment to catch your breath, building from a swaying head-bob to a full-on heartfelt croon.
A treasure of the somewhat unexpected kind, “Dark Battery” is an intricate and hypnotic track that pulls out all the stops. Impressively fresh instrumentals couple with screamy guest vocals from Gaffer Project’s Jordan Doyle to underline, bold, and italicize the cosmic lyrics. Closing out the album, “Packrat” nods to previously released “Seasons” both in its content and its glorious, crashing vocals that writhe with emotion.
The vibrant and fun artwork for this album was designed with love by Brianna Martinsen. All lyrics are included in the CD booklet. Contact your nearest peach or join us at LIE PRESENTS: NECTER’S TOUR KICKOFF at the Massapequa VFW March 6th, 2020 7pm to find your source of toppled calcium.