CDG
Tone Deaf finds Funny Face House continuing their self-recording ways and the Tascam 488 is the perfect device for capturing this do-it-yourself aesthetic. Laid down to tape in San Jose, CA, the project is still helmed by Szyndrowski and Petty, but the new effort finds the pair joined by Sean Colvin on drums and Mando Moreno on keyboards.
If Tone Deaf eschews the band’s punkish disdain for high fidelity, it comes in favor of a heavier, bass-driven approach. New cuts like “Kidney Thief” and “Lizard,” still shine on the merits of a devil-may-care attitude, but their more developed sound means they pack a heftier wallop. Additionally, Tone Deaf‘s expanded sonic palette allows for greater emotional nuance and that really comes thru on an album standout like “Magnolia.” Built around dusky low-end and the interplay between rollicking keys and guitar, this multi-tiered track features Szyndrowski’s impassioned delivery as well as the group’s playful vocal harmonies. Seeming to reflect back on the happier days of a maturing relationship, the song is emblematic of the band’s continued development as songwriters and it points towards their brightening future.