Photo by Photo-by-Daniella-Shella-Stevens
My review this week comes all the way from Minneapolis, a city that has been appearing in the UK news recently for reasons other than music, which is such a shame as our magazine has some lovely links with the music scene over there.
Before I do the review for this I will share the press release with you all.
The Press Information:
Agnes Uncaged, formerly “Creeping Charlie,” has received acclaim across the Midwest for their guitar-driven, cinematic indie rock. Julia Eubanks was hailed as “one of the Twin Cities most promising young songwriters” by critic Chris Riemenschneider (Minnesota Star Tribune) and the group lead First Avenue’s Best New Bands of 2022!
Agnes, a rabbit apparition, came to Eubanks on a hike through the French Alps and she felt her fearful aversion to releasing music dissolve. Like the rabbit superimposed over the mountain scape, Agnes Uncaged’s lyrics elicit a dance between the surreal and literal. Sisters Julia (Vocals and Guitar) and Esmé Eubanks (Bass), Jack Malone (Drums), and Cole Benson (Guitar) balance grittiness and prettiness to conjure a world of nostalgia, drawing inspiration from ’90s Pacific Northwest grunge.
“Cyanotype,” (produced by John Agnello- Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr. – and mixed by Brian Deck – Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine) is a blue impression of white-hot moments in early adulthood. The album continues the band’s signature hooky guitar parts and narrative lyricism with a more matured sound. Philosophy Test elucidates an ironic multiple choice exam and explores the dangers of accepting objective truths shaped by me and thousands of years ago. Guitars on Paperdoll form a crunchy wall of sound behind a description of a two dimensional relationship. Agnes Uncaged presents a new era with an ambitious record that won’t be pinned down, and doesn’t need to be.
Turning to the review, the album is out on January 23rd on all major platforms.:
“Paperdoll” opens the album with an indie rocker, playing with a kind of grungy guitar sound and vocal – “You fall slowly, If I only Gave a fuck.” This was my introduction to both band and album – the distortion on guitars was a kick to the opening though the instrumental that followed had melody in the licks. Interesting…and a song concerning how when you meet someone the initial connection is more interesting than they actually are.
“Capricon” is about the feeling of meeting your match who reflects back flawed parts of you. It reminds me of some of those late melodic punk bands, a dynamic bass sound that underpins the piece, the vocals blend into that pop punk style of Jen Razavi.
“Philosophy Test”- I’m told that this one is about the danger of accepting what is fed to us as “objective truth” through the story of a misogynist teacher and a test once failed in high school. It comes with a video of distortions and a psychedelic feel. It took me into a late night club feeling, and as I settle into the album I am more connected now, the guitar breaks work well and there is a real energy in the track that I liked. Also, lyrically, this one managed to get Foucault into the lyrics! Now that has to be a first…
“Picture/ Diver” is close to a ballad, rhythmically more dreamy and the vocals are softer and more drifting over the candle light than in the full glare. The guitars build up without intruding, and the drums were quietly effective in this song about the double edged emotional sword of nostalgia.
“Charlie” is the shortest song on the album, running to only 3 minutes. It is a stripped back track about isolationism. It (like much of the album) is lyrically ambitious and interesting, “Astigmatism in the pouring rain, Crying for roadkill like I feel their pain,” and without pusillanimity I like that, it connects you more in a song that does not outstay its welcome.
“Boy Song” returns to that faster melodic punk/pop sound, a bit of fun about boys getting away with it! I liked it, it brightened things up and I bet it sounds great live. It comes along, cuts a trail and leaves with an encore after a false end! A thumbs up.
“Rabbit” is a song about growing up, and it has a video that I will pin below for you to enjoy. It is one of the more commercial numbers on the album and I could see the radio stations picking up on it. Again I liked it, it is a well crafted track both musically and lyrically and I find this is a band with plenty of ideas that they explore on this album.
“Garbage Truck” is a song written about Truck is a portrait of walking around Paris during a trash strike coming to grips with someone liking the idea of you more than the reality. It continues the ideas and stories that underpin the album. This one has a strong chorus and the sound of the guitars do provide an urban beat while the vocals are more poppy.
“Sinkhole” is about trying to maintain normalcy ( a word first used, I think, by President Harding in the 1920s) at the end of the world. I think we are struggling to maintain that at the moment with the world as it is. This is a late album track, a lighter piece and one that I am sure will appear on a live set as it moves swiftly along with some nice instrumental breaks (enjoyed the bass sound).
“Skin” closes the album down with a track about climate change. It is initially a slower, sad song, a thoughtful winter song to close the album down; although it does pick up momentum mid-section giving it a shifting tone.
Agnes Uncaged’s “Cyanotype” is a gritty indie rock coming-of-age record that balances ‘90s grunge textures with sharp, thoughtful songwriting and the occasional philosophical muse. From crunchy openers like “Paperdoll” to the dreamy nostalgia of “Picture/Diver” and the urgent bite of “Philosophy Test,” this is an album that keeps pulling you deeper the longer you stay with it. There’s a confidence here that feels earned, playful when it wants to be and quietly devastating when it needs to land. One for fans of hooky guitars, smart lyrics, and bands unafraid to think big.
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Photo by Simon Redstone
Album Credits:
All songs written by Julia Eubanks
All songs performed by Agnes Uncaged.
Agnes Uncaged is:
Julia Eubanks (Vocals and Guitar), Esmé Eubanks (Bass), Jack Malone (Drums), Cole Benson (Guitar).
Additional Guitar by Harry Miles.
Produced by John Agnello.
Mixed by Brian Deck.
Recorded at Electrical Audio.
Website: https://www.agnesuncaged.com/
You can stream music from Agnes Uncaged here
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agnes.uncaged/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@agnes.uncaged
By Anna-Louise Burgess