By Emma Cohen of Indie Band Guru
Tulipomania’s latest album, The Gilded Age, is filled with emotional torment.
The album has a sound so ornate and distinctly different that it stuck with me throughout my week. It is filled with tracks that each boast their own queer sound, yet are recognizable as a cohesive unit.
Tulipomania Nurtures Truly Unique Sound
The very essence of group’s Philadelphia home is, in my opinion, clearly heard in the rough vocals. They suit the instrumentals, often dark and dreary, to form something of a musical machine, grinding and unstoppable in its insistence.
The track “Hold On” is peculiarly attractive. The drawn out guitar notes paired with scratchy but strong vocals made me feel emotionally drained yet weightless at the same time.
Most notable about this song are the moody but clear lyrics that proved to be quite profound. The song has an aura similar to that of the Beatles’ “Happiness is a Warm Gun,” but with a little more of an unearthly, even witchy tone that is very underrated.
What I found most interesting about Tulipomania are the videos that they have conceived, illustrated, and directed to support the album. So far “Don’t Be So Sure,” “Hold On,” “Blink First,” and “Shooting Off the Set,” released on a monthly basis, have received the treatment.
Tulipomania – Don’t Be So Sure from tulipomania on Vimeo.
No two videos are the same nor do they share themes. Each video is its own adventure into a different aspect of Tulipomanias’ imaginations. This is most clearly seen in the video for “Don’t Be So Sure,” where the group use stop-motion animated paintings to convey the deeper meaning behind their music.
“The Gilded Age” is definitely not an album to be taken lightly. The lyrics are poetic. The instruments bleed together in an appealing but unkindly. It is a finely orchestrated war of sounds and I believe that to be utterly beautiful.
Tulipomania shines artistically, through means of vocals, instrumentation, and video animation. The Gilded Age is so much more than just an album — it is an art piece and a pleasure to listen to.
See and hear more from Tulipomania here.
