Cincinnati based indie rock duo Alico are experts in melodic arrangements. Their self titled debut is a collection of infectious off the wall pop rock anthems that are loaded with hooks, addictive riffs, and pulsating drumming to tie it all together. ‘Gabrielle’, the lead single from the record and its opening piece, is all you need to hear to understand the talent these two bring to the table. The songs are mastered exceptionally, with a keen attention to detail for each piece. The vocals, reminiscent of the pop punk pioneers from the late 2000s, are bound to have you reeling in nostalgia. But Alico aren’t imitators by any sense of the word. Their brand of rock is immensely unique, incorporating more defined indie pop melodies and arrangements to accentuate their punk rock melodies.
Thematically, the tunes veer into familiar topics of love, loss, and breakups. But it’s the melodies that have you absolutely bewitched. A song like ‘Monica’, with a hook that seems so perfectly crafted you almost start turning back and thinking whether you’ve heard it done before. It’s a gleaming beacon of pop rock, a dose of fresh vitality from a duo who are simply experts in crafting track after track that seemingly never fails to hit the right notes.
Alico in my eyes are at their best when they’re louder. Sure, acoustic dominant pieces like ‘We Don’t Love Each Other Anymore’ and ‘Charlemagne’ are necessary in the grand scheme of the album. But it’s in the final minute of ‘Charlemagne’, when the song crescendos majestically that you start to find yourself in awe. It’s when the guitar kicks into overdrive on ‘Sucker’ and the entire instrumental arrangement starts crashing that that defiant punk energy has you absolutely hooked.
One of the most addictive pieces of pop rock I’ve heard all year, with two of the best singles you’re bound to hear.