Teething is known to be a painful part of maturation, yet on their debut EP, “Teething”, Edinburgh bubblegrunge outfit Puppy Teeth show off a highly stylistic and tasteful amalgam of alternative genres, driven by sharp, unpredictable melodies (often slightly buried) under an energetic rock band with epic ambitions and the playing and synergy to pull them off.
The four songs here share a similar sound but have distinct differences. “Melatonin” has a winsome vocal delivery and slightly dark style that would’ve been considered radio-friendly in the late 90s. “Paranoid” is more pensive and reserved, but builds towards an awesome section where wordless vocals sing out over headbangable rock. “Ghost” plays more with texture, the vocals dressed in effects, the guitars creating beds of gentle feedback, before the band lands on a memorable chorus (“Life isn’t all about you”) that proves they don’t have to be esoteric, but they prefer it, and all the better for it; the middle eight is rhythmically novel and delicious. “That Time” features lovely guitar work mingling with hushed vocals before the band crescendos into a cacophony of inventive rock blasts, ending with a firework finish.
“Teething” by Puppy Teeth creates a hazy feeling with its hypnotic vocals and textured production, but it balances this with a solid rock core. The results are memorable and emotionally effective without being as heady as the description sounds.
★★★★
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