Album Review - Sitting on Stacy: Looking Past Red Flags

Photo: Sitting on Stacy, Looking Past Red Flags

Southern California's most interesting Ska band Sitting on Stacy have come to prove that Summer is a state of mind. Mixing Ska, pop-punk, indie and rock melodies, “Looking Past Red Flags”, their second full studio album, encapsulates their sound while allowing them to mature both lyrically and instrumentally.

Making Any Sense kickstarts the album with a bang, a reminder of what these guys are bringing to the table: cool vibes, a very special mix of sounds, and fun, tons of fun. I Need a Nap is one of those songs that makes the crowd clap along, which is always nice enough —who doesn’t love a clapping moment?—, but perhaps falls a little flat. House Phone feels like lying on a beach listening to the radio, easy, nice and enjoyable; while Marching to the Grave’s bridge is enough to bring us back to our feet. Crème Brûlée, the second single of the album, brings the sweetness to the mix with a star-crossed love story. Front Seat Girl could belong in a rom-com soundtrack, a thought that repeats itself once Raincoat comes up. Neither of them fails to put a smile on our faces. A female voice joins Hoyt Yeatman for Escape on a Holiday, a dreamy “ballad” that marks the halfway through the record; before returning to the rock-infused guitars of the latest single, Tokyo. Miles Away is where things get a bit more interesting again, a song that captures their rich sound like no other so far (and that is no easy feat). Wedding Song leans into their pop-punk side and Broken surprises with its chorus. Rabbit in a Cage’s lyricism feels rich, while it is also their most different, with influences that could come from grunge. But it’s in Looking Past Red Flags where the band’s potential is truly showcased: both lyrics and vocals are top-notch, while the instruments make the song one of the most remarkable of the record. No doubt why it gave it its name. The lead single, Baby Girl, is where we first saw the growth that sprouted all over the album. Birthday Wishes closes the record with easy lyrics and a fun, highly singable chorus that is truly the life of the (birthday) party.

Score:

(4.2/5)

Listen to the full album:

Tracklist:

1. Making Any Sense

2. I Need a Nap

3. House Phone

4. Marching to the Grave

5. Crème Brûlée

6. Front Seat Girl

7. Raincoat

8. Escape on a Holiday

9. Tokyo

10. Miles Away

11. Wedding Song

12. Broken

13. Rabbit in a Cage

14. Looking Past Red Flags

15. Baby Girl

16. Birthday Wishes

Review by Reya Casajus