Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
A twist of jazzy lime, a smidge of funk and a whole lotta style – the new song “Tequila” from The Transonics goes down pretty smoothly. Featuring an addictive vocal cooing, and some impressive percussion, listeners might find themselves wondering which path to take – the alternative rock or pop rock road. Like the libation itself, “Tequila” is a potent song with a swift reaction. The newest single from The Transonics’ forthcoming EP, The Tides, “Tequila” follows the title track and the power pop tune, “Getcha”. The Transonics call Columbia, South Carolina home.
One sip and you’ll want more, sings a female vocalist. Her delivery, brooding, mysterious-like, urges the listener to keep listening. It’s as if she were curling her finger, motioning the listener – daring the listener – to take the corner booth in a dive bar. The thrust of guitars, a tight mesh of balanced riff and feedback that throws a shade of nostalgia erupts into the sonic air. This song has a corner-bar vibe, with nefarious characters swirling around its magnetic pull. I suppose being a listener, and within its orbit, one gets the sense that the night-time, after-hours tones are depraved. It’s funny, on the first listen I got that feeling. That devil juice is causing your commotion, she sings. I loved that line because the word ‘devil’ of course congers visions of evil, ner’er-do-wells and vagabonds.
HEAR NOW: https://thetransonics.hearnow.com/tequila
After a few listens, and really settling into the sound, I also surmised that this song recognizes the ‘devil juice’ but takes on a sort of warning label for the listener. The same can be said about a relationship and a particular person might have a bad reputation. Or maybe they have a ton of baggage. I liked playing with these storylines and the bursting rhythms, alongside the contagious humming. “Tequila” feels fresh and interesting. There’s nothing stale about the sound, and certainly the vocals are intriguing. This song has several layers to it and slithers along at first, only to really sound polished by the song’s end. It has this aura to it, that nocturnal sheen, but it also has a very bright, amber-dipped coloring. If you were to just isolate the music bed, it is in the same family as The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” (I didn’t say immediate family, but maybe a third cousin) and I can easily see why fans of The B-52’s would gravitate towards the riffs and the quirky blurbs.
This song has spunk and rest assured; the band sounds confident with each note. As a listener, there’s a lot of comfort knowing that a band like The Transonics is going to give you a new view, a new feeling around each corner. Mission accomplished. I loved the entire song, from start to finish, and found myself gulping down more and more listens. If you’re in the mood for a song that tickles the grooves happening in your body, but don’t want to get too sweaty, “Tequila” is a perfect pick. If you want a song that gets you thinking and maybe drinking a bit more, then, yes, “Tequila” is that song, too.
Trevor Garland
