By Venus Rittenberg, Editorial Director

[Triple Crown; 2022]

Rating: 6/10

Key Tracks: “computer exploder,” “nothing to do,” “because i want to“

After 2019’s excellent basking in the glow it was exciting to see what the 5th wave band would cook up next, and it’s a shame that this new project is neither as concise nor as enjoyable as that endeavor. Although Oso Oso’s new album is enjoyable, it lacks creativity and feels repetitive to the point of being dull. Sore thumb’s first half is fun but repetitive, and by the second half, the repetition just becomes a slog, excluding the standout “because i want to,” which is perhaps the best joint on the album. 

Read more: Album Review: Broken Equipment – Bodega

There are some moments throughout the record that shine, such as the catchy opener, “computer exploder,” or The Microphones-esque piano on “give a fork,” but they are mostly in the first half of the album, and even then, they are not that exciting. The lyrics to the chorus of “nothing to do” are quite good, however, but it is perhaps the only moment on the album aside from the aforementioned “because i want to” where the lyrics stand out. “Father tracy” is groovy, with a feel to it I can only describe as vacation-y, but it still blends in with the rest of the album too much to truly stand out.

The album is fun, however. If you enjoyed basking in the glow then you will probably enjoy this at least a little bit. I did have fun listening to it, but as the number of listens increased, the more I realized the whole thing kind of blended into each other. This is not Oso Oso’s best work, with sore thumb ending up a big “meh.”

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/album/5Qcv0Vr8N5XOwfR7IyzOh8