Minneapolis-based Agnes Uncaged (formerly Creeping Charlie) release their first full EP since 2020, Cyanotype with some beautiful artwork to match. Treating us to their typical gently gritty indie rock styling, we hear what they have been working on, and I’ve got to tell you, it’s a true treat to the ears.
Listed as one of Minneapolis First Avenue’s Best New Bands of 2022, Cyanotype’s interesting imagery and showcase of the band’s technical and stylistic abilities prove they deserve the title.
Nicely styled to be relatable for every part of the zodiac, ‘Capricorn’ boasts relatable lyrics with a mega catchy guitar riff that’s proper earworm material. After a hard-hitting opening, the simplified nature of the first verse with a repeated rhythmic ostinato under a simple melodic line draws your attention in close, before Malone’s drumming brings the vibes right back up.
Mixing the softer styles we’ll hear in the next songs with Agnes Uncaged’s typical rock nature, we meet the fourth song, ‘Picture Diver’. A captivating and raw addition, it is a true highlight to hear the emotion in Julia Eubanks voice and hear the production team playing with foley towards the end of the song.
Moving on to ‘Charlie’, the first aspect that strikes you is the Disney-esque string lines. Once the vocals and acoustic accompaniment begin, you’re transported to a whole new realm of Agnes Uncaged’s world. Towards the end, the deep cello and bass strings, contrasting with the higher vocal line and violin inflections, are simply gorgeous.
A great example of fairly gentle but uncompromising indie rock, ‘Sinkhole’ is a no-holds-barred approach to the human mindset. The epitome of Julia’s imagery-based lyricism, ‘sometimes my body feels like an itchy sweater’ is wonderfully graphic in the most visceral way.
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