In the tradition of the SST acts that came before their time, Eucalyption are carrying on the legacy of blue collar punk rock by piling into the van and jamming out DIY style in their new music video for the single “Waiting,” and for a connoisseur of alternative beats, it’s about as hearty and honest a tribute as you could ask for. While Eucalyption aren’t very well-known outside the Houston scene they’ve been coming up in – which is admittedly one of the most exciting in all of the United States right now – they make a case for experimental rock supremacy in this piece that I believe deserves a lot of recognition from critics this season.
The first thing that I noticed about “Waiting” was the improvisational feel in its lyrical flow, which is an obvious nod to the hip-hop influences Eucalyption most definitely have in their sound. If repurposed with a bit more urgency, the style of play we hear in “Waiting” could potentially yield a lot more aggressive sound perhaps better arranged to amplify this group’s best qualities, and in this way the single is more suggestive than it is declarative of who these players really are. It’s a sneak preview of their future and the potential they have, and it’s got my attention without question.
Watch the video for “Waiting” below
A satisfying modern cocktail of punk’s efficiency and hip-hop’s moxie that you won’t soon regret giving a spin, Eucalyption’s “Waiting” is perhaps one of the few essential indie listens I would tell you to put on your new music playlist this month. There’s plenty of good music coming out of the American underground, as usual, but there’s something special about the ground this band is covering. They’re still growing into their own, but “Waiting” feels like an important release we really need to acknowledge.
