Lithuania: Hardcore Friends

Artist: Lithuania
Album: Hardcore Friends
Label: Lame-O Records
Release Date: August 14
Website: http://www.lithuaniatheband.com/
Photo: http://s0.limitedrun.com/images/1137346/unnamed.jpg
Brooke Adams
Music Reviewer

When I first picked up Lithuania’s Hardcore Friends, I was honestly very hesitant. The cover caught me off guard and I really wasn’t sure what to think. Then I heard “God In Two Persons” and I knew immediately that I liked it. I liked their classic garage rock sound, their fast-paced tunes, and their super unique lyrics like “Go where you know the water flows, and it seems to make you disappear into a million pieces of the world,” from their song “Pieces.”

Lithuania holds the potential to truly capture the heart of young audiences with their rock vibes and indie image. They use upbeat guitar progressions and loud drum backbeats to move their songs constantly forward and which keeps my angsty little teen heart beating two times, what is probably a healthy pace.  They keep all of their songs relatively short; three and a half minutes or shorter, to be exact. This contributes to making the album feel as though it speeds by.Every time I listened to this album, it felt like the first time.

I went back and forth between calling this album “rock” or “pop punk” because many aspects of the lyrics and vocal quality lend to pop punk, but I ultimately sided with the much more garage rock sound. When I listen to this album, I imagine the ideal garage rockers, probably wearing lots of ripped denim, possibly some studs, those stereotypical black combat boots—basically a bunch of Heath Ledger from 10 Things I Hate About You wannabes. Lithuania does slow it down with songs like “Coronation Day” which takes a much more acoustic approach to their sound, and seems to be the band talking to someone going through the hard times of being a teenager and the life crises that come with it. It carries a message of hope and perseverance that is important for young people to hear. This band will continue to build their fan base as long as they continue putting out this quality of music!
Lithuania will be coming through Mohawk in Austin in mid-November, so be sure to check out their website for tickets!