Beach Death
In 2019, SLC band Beach Death was putting on a holiday show aptly called Beachmas which obviously couldn t happen for Christmas 2020, though they d intended to start an annual tradition. Instead, they, like every other band, had a quiet year, but one which still culminated with the Christmas release of their self-titled debut album that was two years in the making. One of their 2020 singles, We Can Swim, previewed a fiery verve in the vein of Modest Mouse s wilier stuff, but with a punch of something modern and fresh this isn t just a band hung up on the indie of the 2010s. The 10-track album turns out to be quite eclectic, with the other single, Sleeping Season recalling early indie rock in a more light-hearted way, balancing hammering guitar parts and frontman Ian Stewart s snarky voice with soft acoustic breaks. Acoustics open the album, too, with the angst-ridden Washing Up, that builds with drums as Stewart practically murmurs to himself on themes of ghosts an