Description
At first glance, 3 seems like a perfectly fitting title for a new Nots album. After all, it is the Memphis band’s third full-length (two released by Heavenly) and their first as a trio. Makes sense. But after you begin to peel back the layers of 3—unearthing every writhing guitar squall and every piercing vocal melody—the spirit of the record comes into much clearer focus.
Rather than abandon the noisy synth attack, Hoffmann instead decided to add another role to her expanding sonic arsenal, painting the backgrounds of tracks like Floating Hand and Half-Painted House with melting buzzes and swirling waves that sound menacing and ominous at one turn and hypnotic and seductive at another.
So to what does that ultimately amount? A dark, unpredictable, raucous, liberating, and bold tour de force of a third record from the Memphis three—along with a strong impression that the best still yet to come.