Sleigh Bells' music is so volatile that they seemed more likely to have a great single or two tucked away on nostalgic playlists than to have a nearly 20-year career and six albums to their name. On
Bunky Becky Birthday Boy, however,
Derek Miller and
Alexis Krauss offer some of their most consistent and consistently affecting music. The duo's signature elements -- face-melting riffs and double drums, pop-star vocals, and gravity-defying synths -- haven't changed much, yet they sound fresher than they have in some time, particularly on "Wanna Start a Band?," a stomping, slamming homage to their origin story that taps into the rush of their early days.
Sleigh Bells entwine mischief and meaning deftly on
Bunky Becky Birthday Boy, starting with that title: what looks like gibberish is actually a tribute to
Krauss' dearly departed dog and her young son. She and
Miller touch on the moments in life that raise the stakes in ways that feel completely true to their body of work. "Bunky Pop" is as irrepressibly bouncy as a puppy, but
Krauss doesn't hide the tears she's shed over "the best dog in the world." The barely controlled chaos that defines
Sleigh Bells' music is also the perfect fit for feelings that go deep into the red.
Miller and
Krauss are equally ecstatic and frantic on the apocalyptic party jam "Badly" and "This Summer," seizing each moment like it's the last -- because it could be. Though it's nearly as dizzying as
Sleigh Bells' previous albums,
Bunky Becky Birthday Boy grounds their music just enough to let its emotions sink in. They've never been as confessional as they are on "Blasted Shadow"'s sugarcoated heartache or "Pulse Drips Quiet," where
Krauss' devotion rings true ("You can count on me/I'll be true 'til death") despite the sonic shock and awe surrounding her. The way she and
Miller bare their souls on
Bunky Becky Birthday Boy might be even more audacious than the way
Sleigh Bells have sliced, diced, and spliced their songs into explosive collages for nearly 20 years. By giving equal time to headbanging and heartbreak, they've made an immensely satisfying album that's among their finest. ~ Heather Phares
