‘Mellow Joy’ really had me taken back to a different era of rock music. The droning vocals, slightly distorted production, and heavily atmospheric production, all characteristics of 90s grunge are brought to vividly imaginative life on this Polish rock groups trip down memory lane. Thematically, it’s hard to find an album named more appropriately. Combining a more simplistic and slow style of rock and roll with new wave elements, the record delivers on its promise to the tee. Their third project in less than two years of being together, its a sign of their prolific recording spirit and consistent creative output that the pandemic didn’t stall them whatsoever.
One of the lead singles, ‘TINDER GIRL’, is a light hearted and fun piece of old school alternative rock that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Weezer record. With that distinctive whiney vocal performance, a quirky romantic topic, it’s the right kind of feel good rock. My personal favourite is the track immediately after, ‘Bubba Does’. There’s something so innately good about this song, something that radiates such positive and sunny energy to bask in. That distorted electric in the songs second section just elevates it to a point of pure bubble gum pop happiness. Tracks like ‘Girl With Sponge’ bring a more mellowed and entrancing energy, accentuated by the vocal duet with Catlea.
I think what makes Mellow Joy so intriguing to listen to is its complete disregard for anything established in any semblance of normality or contemporary. It’s purely what the Snakedoctors wanted to make, an incredibly varied collection of alternative rock pieces that differ wildly from one another while still maintaining such a glowingly positive energy that has you smiling throughout. Moreover, the sheer fact that it finds its stylistic influence in an era of rock music that rarely is explored today makes that nostalgic air to it all the more powerful.