If you’re looking for the indie genre to be the shapeshifting jewel it was in the ’90s, look no further than the creatives emerging in the 2020s. These past decades functioned as a period of resurgence and re-amplification of some of the most prominent acts of the past. Nirvana and other noise rock groups (Soundgarden, Pearl Jam) piloted punchy guitar tones and lyrically scatterbrained ideas, resulting in abstractions as opposed to the previous, more obvious concept albums. This style seems to be back in fashion with more stitching to the bright, colorful tapestry of what was so widely sought after in the ’90s.
The duo of Nate Amos (guitar, instrumentation) and Rachel Brown (vocals), otherwise known as Water From Your Eyes, is a group doing something especially respectable on their newest project, “It’s a Beautiful Place.” The two’s blending of creative angles and tonal intensity is only matched by their knack for crafting some of the most engaging hooks in modern indie music. And much like the brilliance of their 2023 album, “Everyone’s Crushed,” they’ve knocked it out of the park with another sonically beautiful behemoth.
The singles on the album were released throughout the summer. Both tracks, “Life Signs” and “Playing Classics,” revealed the band’s continued intentions. The duo sought a sound simmering with morphing tempos and fuzzy instrumentation complemented by Brown’s deadpan vocal delivery. Even if the tendencies of the group’s music have become more predictable, they keep finding new ways to brandish a remarkable clarity in their ideas while putting them in the confines of a song. They’ve reached a point where they can do so with ease. Similar to what MJ Lenderman managed to pull off nearly a year ago with his record “Manning Fireworks,” “It’s a Beautiful Place” fires on all cylinders as an indie genre-blending-and-bending triumph.
The album opens with “One Small Step,” a brief track that surrounds the listener with flowy effects. These themeless noise featurettes are spread throughout the album — with each barely ever eclipsing fifty seconds. They may seem half-baked — as they aren’t interludes — but are drawn-out, spaghettified versions of ideas that are presented in other tracks in more coherent and listenable ways.
The previously mentioned song “Life Signs” is the first ‘big step’ into the experimental pop concepts that make this album so special. The four-and-a-half minute composition is also maybe the most accessible thing the band has ever written. Brown’s voice mirrors that of a young Lætitia Sadier (Stereolab) with her vocal falsettos drifting from melodic to completely devoid of emotion. The vocals emerge alongside a gorgeous series of guitar riffs from Amos as he slides up and down the strings like John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers). The main chorus of the track is followed by a guitar solo in which Amos picks and mimics the twangy notes sung by Brown as if it was an idea formed on a “Californication” B-side.
The next two tracks, “Nights in Armor” and “Born 2,” are jumpy, proggy and humorous. Each track is written with subtle homages — whether intentional or unintentional — to the greater stoner and desert rock of the early 2000s. The melodies are blaring and catchy, two words that can classify any peak Queens of the Stone Age harvest. Brown’s vocals are less lyrical and more instrumental. It brings to mind Michael Stipe and R.E.M.’s early arrangements on “Murmur” (1983). The tempo and dynamics also oscillate between bedroom pop and grungy aggression at an almost gratuitous rate, which confirms the notion that the duo of Amos and Brown take themselves about as seriously as any prime comedy rock outfit.
Later in the record is a top-level art pop song, “Spaceship.” The track is a wonderful example of what makes musical experimentation a joy. The near five-minute tune is energetic and functions as a climax for the record’s genre shuffling. The song also introduces a catchy bass line at the forefront as the guitar falls into the background of the composition. The way the song is mixed is a segue into the final two longer tracks, “Playing Classics” and “Blood on the Dollar.” Both songs are rooted in a pop rock skeleton, with the former being a synth-pop number and the latter being quite alt-pop — in the vein of Neil Young.
In total, the whole of the record is an unraveling of ideas shaped from music as a mode of both creativity and fun. It’s an exceedingly enjoyable album that encases the listener in its world of melodic spontaneity. Brown and Amos’s work is the newest exemplar of indie art potential to reject molds to become something untamed yet wondrous. “It’s a Beautiful Place” is truly a beautiful representation.
