Four years ago, Kid Mountain introduced itself to Boston with one of the best debut albums our city has ever seen.
Happies, the group’s 10-track effort from 2012, saw the art pop act churning its way through Local Natives-styled harmonies and Akron/Family spunk, creating the type of confident personality that sees bands go from local band to national act quickly. All six members—Cole Wuilleumier, Derek Goulet, Tyler Rosenholm, Tyler Chauncey, Tim Patterson, and Jean J.—took a break after Happies to focus on art school. Yet Kid Mountain pushed onwards, and Trinkles, the upcoming sophomore LP, is on the way.
“We wanted to make music that is accessible but subversive, music that challenges DIY music norms,” says Wuilleumier. “We were inspired by music that is minimalist and easy to replicate with a cheap guitar, like the Pixies, where it becomes mindless, existential, monotonous music.”
Since the songs began as bedroom recordings by Wuilleumier or Goulet, there’s a sense of vulnerability and simplicity at their core. Yet their sonic similarities, some formed in high school and others more recently, are playful and loud: Speaking In Tongues-era Talking Heads, Feels-era Animal Collective, the clean production of the Beach Boys and Real Estate. Kid Mountain carries a personable spirit that not even its four-year gap could halt.
That doesn’t mean they didn’t get caught up in themselves. “We started off with really big heads and we took ourselves too seriously,” Wuilleumier says with a little bit of hesitance. “We had a cleansing by focusing on other aspects of our lives and taking the band less seriously. This helped remind us what was important and what mattered.”
This can all be summed up in album cut “Walk Around”. “It’s the epitome of everything that I claim above in its minimalism, monotony, idealism, and vulnerability,” says Wuilleumier. “It’s also just a good song.”
As you’re reading this, Trinkles is being mastered, but if you need something more to tide you over, the band is happy to share comparisons. “Sonically, I think we slowed down but tried to stay dynamic,” Wuilleumier adds. “Happies was optimistic and sentimental and comforting. Trinkles confronts that sentimentality and questions what is comforting.” We know, we know, we know. We’re super excited, too.
KID MOUNTAIN, HORSE JUMPER OF LOVE, BEEEF, PUPPY PROBLEMS. GREAT SCOTT, 1222 COMM. AVE., ALLSTON. THU 1.28 8PM/18+/$9. GREATSCOTTBOSTON.COM.
