Experience in full the shoegaze, indie and alternative tremors of “I Thought I Knew Everything” by Sketches. The Felix brothers released their debut album on Oct. 10, featuring members from Mexican Slum Rats and other Californian artists.
The album starts off with the messy, lo-fi instrumentals of “Blue Skies.” The song sets the tone of the album overall: often increasing in intensity, quieting down, then intensifying , before transitioning to “Out and About.” This is a song with soothing vocals, relaxing guitars and more sudden pace changes. The powerful drumming contrasts with the gentle voices of Sebastian and Marcus Felix singing, “Out and about as we go.”
“Aeroplane” begins with drumsticks clapping and is the best song of the album. It is an instant favorite for listeners, starting to liven up from the tranquility of the last two songs. There is a clear 90s alternative influence, reminiscent of the sound of Pixies. It goes from one headphone through the other; the energetic drumming seizes control of the song and finishes the arrangement, transitioning to “Wither.”
“Wither” has a slight shoegaze influence with its fuzzy guitars, providing a dreamy yet upbeat sound that ends in a whirring way before starting “Kerosene.” This is another song embodying the quiet-to-loud dynamics of the project. The wonky guitars and heavy bass invite the listener to sing along with the non-expressive and slightly out-of-tune vocals that make the track enjoyable as the two-and-a-half-minute song comes to an end.
“Ultra Max” has a vibrant beat, nice drums and wonky guitars that turn into whirring — wobbly sounds that change pace once again into an alien-like song. The instrumentals created an Area 51 feel with robotic sounds ending the song.
Another hit track on the album is heard with “Ricky,” a danceable song that categorizes the record as back-loaded if one is into upbeat rock songs and front-loaded if one is into relaxing indie songs. It is an album for everyone as every song gets better.
The crashing of cymbals and distortion of the strings come to a sudden stop as the Elliot Smith-esque “Dovah” starts playing. The acoustic guitar is replaced with a faster beat and fervent drums that come to an abrupt stop, then returns with a peaceful saxophone for about thirty seconds. This makes it an interesting contrast that fits really well with the overall feeling of the song.
The nine-song album ends with the title track “I Thought I Knew Everything.” It is a satisfying ending to the album; the obscure and dreamy vocals over the thunderous drums and reverberating guitars that turn into windy and distorted sounds transport the listener to another dimension.
The whispering vocals soothe the listener under the energetic drumming and windy distortions of the album. The style of Sketches is evident as they create an unpredictable atmosphere; the nonsensical changes of pace flow naturally throughout the record, making a lot of sense as one finishes listening and wishes to play it all over again.
