Falcon Bitch and Shmoofy—an odd yet immensely talented duo. Together, they form Being Dead, one of the most exciting bands around today. Their new album EELS (Bayonet) feels like a children’s birthday party with confetti, cake, and slightly tipsy parents. It’s colorful, sticky, silly, yet you end up having a fantastic time.
New addition bassist Nicole Roman-Johnston joins in on songwriting and can also be heard giggling and goofing around. A pure nonsense album, then? Not at all. For large stretches, we get thoughtfully crafted folk, tender and detailed, while still delightfully offbeat.
The Austin-based band also leans into darker tones, but mischievously breaks the flow whenever it feels right. Overflowing with energy—this is the perfect summary of the album.
Van Goes starts off pleasantly before veering into arty territory. Blanket of My Bone drifts dreamily, while the dual vocals—especially on Problems—are an absolute joy.
Suddenly, Firefighters dives into fuzz rock, followed by a dramatic middle section, and Goodnight delivers a powerful twist. It’s an album that never stops surprising. Only praise for EELS? In this case, absolutely.
Being Dead – EELS: Wonderfully eccentric folk rock. – RIFL
