It may have been over a year since BYBYE released their debut studio album “Metamorphasize”, but the songs on it still hold up.
If you’ve been following our Song of the Day articles, you’ll have probably noticed that we’ve been on a bit of a local kick recently. There are a lot of great bands and artists in Indianapolis, that sometimes it can feel hard to give all of them the attention they deserve. While we can’t cover every single artist in the city, we can do our best to hit as many as possible, and give especial attention to the ones who stand out.
BYBYE is definitely one of those stand out bands. They’ve got an utterly unique sound, and aren’t afraid to take risks or sound different. So before we get into the album itself, here’s a little bit of an overview of BYBYE.
BYBYE
BYBYE is one of Indy’s more popular bands, having played all over town, from intimate showings at Square Cat Vinyl, to larger venues across the street at the Hi-Fi. Their sound brings in influences from the genres of electronic, rock, blues, soul, and psychedelia. In their own words, BYBYE describes their style as “vintage psychedelic soul with cinematic, upbeat rock”. The band consists of members Martin Green (organ, vocals), Nick Peoni (lead guitar), Sam Shafer (acoustic guitar, keyboard, vocals), Paul Symons (drums), and Cody Davis (bass).
While “Metamorphasize” was their first studio album, BYBYE’s initial release was their self-titled EP in 2015. For the next three years, they didn’t release anything. But 2018 turned out to be a big year for BYBYE. They came out with a follow up, “Extinct EP”, the single, “Happily (ft. Carl Broemel)”, and the release of their studio album.
“Metamorphasize” was recorded and engineered by Tyler Watkins (Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s) and Alex Kercheval at Postal Records. The album was produced by Kevin Ratterman (My Morning Jacket), and features musicians Carl Broemel (My Morning Jacket) on pedal steel and electric guitar, and Jared Thompson (Premium Blend) on saxophone.
Metamorphasize
“Metamorphasize” is a collection of breezy, laid back tunes where groove is king, and atmosphere queen. Soul and rock influences are definitely kept as the main driving forces behind the songwriting. But there’s also a steady, guiding hand of psychedelia that remains present through the album.
It’s in some of the musical interludes where BYBYE shines and brings out the unexpected. These interludes frequently include solos or deviations from the main progression or key. Occasionally, they’ll also include horn sections that bring out a punchier sound.
One of the highlight tracks of the album is “C’mon”. It features a soulful rock groove with a heavy beat supported by a mellow guitar riff, and an additional backbone provided by a strong and simple organ progression. It’s a song that rewards revisiting, and manages to stay catchy and interesting without losing its appeal.
Another standout track on “Metamorphasize” is “Napalm Trees”, one of the more upbeat tracks. This one features a more psychedelic atmosphere, accompanied by a horn section for a unique sound. At just under three minutes, it’s also one of the shorter tracks of the album.
Finally, “Happily” is BYBYE at their most funky and whimsical musically. They manage to offset this in the lyrics, however, which are a little darker.
Final Thoughts
Overall, “Metamorphasize” is a solid debut from BYBYE. In it, they display their versatility, and skill in songwriting and musicianship. Now that we’re coming up on almost two years since its release, here’s hoping that BYBYE have more in store for the Indy crowd.
You can listen to all of “Metamorphasize” on Bandcamp. To find out more about BYBYE, you can find them on Facebook.
Finally, for more coverage on the Indy music scene, be sure to check out the LemonWire Music Corner, where we’re showcasing local Indianapolis artists from the community.
