Album Review: Sleigh Bells -Treats (4/5)

Faceless, pom-pon waving cheerleaders adorn the cover of Treats, the first album from New York duo Sleigh Bells that is spring's buzziest indie debut. The duo's singer, Alexis Krauss, has a bright, high-pitch voice whose chants sound like they could come from one of those cheerleaders, and the band's always uptempo melodies could back a spirited cheer, but its distorted, over-amped sound would quickly have any daddy's girls running for the hills. Looking for a new sound to piss off your parents? This could be it.

Rapid-fire beats and heavily distorted guitar start "Tell 'Em" with a swift kick to your ears. "Kids" swipes some hip-hop beats over which Krauss raps M.I.A.-style. "Riot Rhythm" and "Infinity Guitars" put the emphasis on Derek Miller's guitars, particularly the latter, which struts through its verses and unleashes layers of sound during its choruses. Later track "Straight A's" also begins by unleashing a fury of feedback-rich guitars. You'd have been hard pressed to find a knob that wasn't turned all the way up during the recording of these songs.

The band's penchance for noise and heavy beats lets up for a few songs. "Run the Heart" starts off a little lighter, with trippy synth lines and layered vocals, but tosses in a distorted bass beat to keep the energy up. "Rill Rill" is a breezy, retro, sunny day of a song.

But the general focus of this album is big, loud and fast. "Crowd on the Ground," as the name implies, would be the perfect song to move a big room full of young people bouncing up and down with arms raised. The beats, guitar and vocals all distort into an undulating rhythm of noise. "A/B Machines" keeps the party going strong with its insistent mix of metal guitar, claps, chants and beats. DJing a rave? Be sure to grab this disc.

This is an album that is aggressively listenable. I tried having this on in the background as I worked, and I had to shut it off, for the songs exude such immediacy that they demand attention.

Best: Tell 'Em, Run the Heart, Kids, Rill Rill, A/B Machines