Tulsa "I Was Submerged"- -Album Review

Most reviews of Tulsa’s new EP I Was Submerged focus on how the band’s actually from Boston, not Tulsa, and is named after a book of photographs (by Larry Clark), not a town. While this information isn’t crucial to appreciating the band’s spacey, melodic music, it does illuminate the band's focus on cross-artistic references. The EP's title is a reference to an Ernest Hemingway letter to Marlene Dietrich (“on those occasions when Dietrich was on the surface and swimming about with those marvelously seeking eyes, I was submerged..."), and the album itself easily submerges listeners in its lo-fi, down-home feeling.

All the songs on I Was Submerged have a similar reverb-heavy character and could generally be characterized as alt-country, but deft use of plaintive vocals, bright keyboards, and defiant drums help distinguish the tracks. With some upbeat songs and other more menacing tunes, I Was Submerged presents a full picture of a band with tight skills and tons of potential.

Opener “I Feel Great” is largely instrumental, taking listeners on a smooth trip with bright, plucky notes undercut by darker drum rhythms, suggesting a gorgeous tropical night with a hint of a storm underneath. The languid lyrics, "I'm in love for the first time," end the song with the suggestion that all is well--for now.

The almost hymnlike “Breath Thin” ups the tempo and the suggestions of malice, breaking down the guitar into rough riffs in between the more strung-out chorus with its plaintive vocal background. You can nearly feel singer Carter Tanton’s breath thin out in between wails.

“Shaker,” so (cleverly) named because it uses a shaker in the background--as do several other songs on Submerged--has an easygoing guitar groove that sucks you right into pure musical enjoyment. But the almost-danceable guitar work hides malice underneath--the song was written for an ex-lover. Tanton sings, bitingly, “There’s nothing in life that will burn your eyes, so you sit on the rug and fantasize.” The lyric recognizes the sometimes-stupor of everyday life, which the band clearly strives to surpass. When Tanton says, “Maybe I’m wrong but I do my best,” he reveals the band’s carefree attitude toward what they do—make their best effort at creating original music that tries to be something more than ordinary.

All in all, Tulsa's music is like a bearskin rug: rustic, warm, and easy to get wrapped up in, but with some serious bite underneath. Tulsa shows serious strength and promise.