Party Battleship - “Out of Nowhere”; “Sowwhatchaken” (Party Battleship)

Having successfully followed up their spirited, tuneful 2017 debut LP Cake + Flames with 2022’s much-improved, more deeply produced Sweet Thing, this Charlotte, NC foursome continues to impress on these two flavorful singles. Once again, both songs are highlighted by the fetching co-lead vocals and thick, crunchy guitars of Shalini Morris (née Chatterjee, previously in Madison, WI’s Kissyfish, San Francisco’s Vinyl Devotion, and NC’s Shalini; the latter’s three LPs and EP from 2000-10 also featured Mitch Easter) and her husband John Morris (ex-electro-LUXE/Come on Thunderchild/TyreFyre/Snagglepuss). As well, each is bolstered by the forceful rhythms of bassist Adam Roth (ex-Laburnum/Bellglide/The Catch Fire) and drummer Jason Perkins, and topped off with mellifluous songwriting and harmonies.

“Out of Nowhere” is another example of the band’s catchy, invigorating power-pop/alterna-rock blasters — see Sweet Thing’s title track and Cake + Flames’ “Theme Song” and “Exit Sideways” for others in a similar vein — with Shalini’s honeyed, enlivening voice again bringing to mind Kim Deal, Juliana Hatfield, Lisa Mychols, and Baby Grand’s Gerri White. Throughout the song, she uses foreboding water imagery like blackening thunderstorms, precarious lifeboats, and the sudden onrush of riptides to describe the sinking feeling of growing older and finding long-desired goals are evading her grasp. Given her distressed lyrics, you almost feel guilty for pumping your fist and joyously singing aloud to the euphoric, rousing choruses!

By contrast, “Sowwhatchaken” sports a carefree, Rolling Stones meets Wilco blues-rock/alt-country melody that vaguely recalls Judas Priest’s “Living After Midnight,” but with John Morris’s compassionate, rustic drawl and soulful, undulating ‘70s organ. Though the meaning of the song’s perplexing title is open to interpretation — “Sow what you can” and “So what, you can” both seem to make contextual sense — its assertive delivery on each chorus serves to punctuate his sincere attempts to impart empathetic, supportive words of encouragement to a lonely, despondent loved one. Impatient souls hankering for a third Party Battleship full-length (who, me?) will want more, but for now, these two savory morsels will keep our appetites sufficiently whetted.

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