[bandcamp width=100% height=42 track=2039755075 size=small bgcol=333333 linkcol=ffffff]

Our prayers have been answered (see prayers here), and Minneapolis quartet Carroll will be coming our way on Thursday to play a show at Mercury Lounge in support of Strange Names.

Previously released singles, such as “Alligator” and “Bad Water”, perfectly placed Carroll on the psych-pop map - and we made it a mission to follow them there. With their self-titled debut album following suit, it held no disappointment and all distinct and dreamy tunes. Enchanting vocals, shoe-gazy instrumentals, and addictive melodies run throughout every track, and take you on a smooth, and seemingly t00-short of a journey, leaving you wanting more.

Tracks like “Hang On Desert Island”, “Green Acres”, “Boxing Day”, and “Daylight” build effortlessly, and seem to hold a lot of aggression in the form of psychy synths (and by aggression we mean lyrics like, “I put poison in your ice-cream”). Their climactic release immediately creates an emotional connection with the listener, giving the lyrics that much more weight. Tracks like “Are We Different”, “Jealous Eyes”, and “Blaisdell” on the other hand, are more lightweight, but hold just has much heaviness in eliciting emotion from the listener.

“Is there magic when you hold her?”, sings Carroll, and although we’re not sure about that answer, we are sure that there’s magic when we listen to these four dudes play.

CEREAL PAIRING Honey Smacks and Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey…because Carroll is that sweet!