Body Faucet

After cementing themselves as madcap musical auteurs with their debut EP, Oblangle Fizz, Y'all!, Georgia-based Reptar has managed to capture their live manic energy into their new full-length album, Body Faucet. Being named after a beloved 90's children's TV show character, it's hard to take them seriously at first, but it's their inherent playfulness and willingness to experiment that makes them so endearing.

Working with producer of the moment Ben Allen (Animal Collective, Deerhunter, Washed Out), many of the songs feel like sing-along anthems for this generation. Upon first listen, I was worried that all of the songs would sound like the same come-together uplifting tunes often found on commercials for cars and Sun Chips. But then it switches gears to a more world-music inspired beat via Graceland and takes you outside the sing-songy twee zone. That same Vampire Weekend tribal influence is evident on a lot of the album, but Reptar's energy never sticks around one genre or decade of musical origin.

The album sounds as if they were given a giant playroom filled with musical devices and were told they could play with all of them. "Orifice Orgami" sounds like a piñata exploding, whereas "Natural Bridge" sounds like a gyrating rockabilly single. Lead singer Graham Ulicny's falsetto is front and center throughout the album, bringing to mind other high-spirited singers like Mark Bolan of T-Rex and Hayden Thorpe of Wild Beasts. He has the ability to fluctuate between a clear tenor and a beastly growl, and his voice is certainly the strongest instrument the band has to work with. Having made their name on their infectious live performances, it seems the ability to make people move is an integral part of their sound. Body Faucet is just the beginning for them, but part of me hopes they never grow up.