Review: The Burma impress with ‘Crazy Dreams & Cruel Realities’ LP
Irish Indie rock-n-rollers The Burma return with a stunning full length album titled Crazy Dreams & Cruel Realities released on the 6th of October 2023. Having received support from The Rolling Stone India, CLASH Magazine, NOTION Magazine, Hot Press, Atwood Magazine, and Medium.com/Pop Off, the 3 piece band has also earned spins on RTÉ 2FM with Dan Hegarty as well as RTÉ Radio 1. Their single ‘Holiday’ has already premiered and received support from EARMILK, and the boys have earned support slots for artists such as The Academic and The Strypes, while simultaneously gaining extensive airplay across Ireland, the UK, and the USA.
Crazy Dreams & Cruel Realities is an Indie-Rock record loaded with depth and emotion. There’s something for everyone, from the mellow mood of ‘Holiday’ to the soulful grit of ‘23’. The drumming is tight, and the electric guitars are lusciously layered and compressed, evoking a distorted sound akin to Kevin Parker of Tame Impala that adds a real bite to each track. It is impeccably well produced and innovative, while O Donovan’s dreamy (sometimes distorted) vocals and cadence is unmatched in his high-pitched velvety delivery. Lyrically, The Burma explores topics of love and growth, while still staying relatively cryptic and objective in their approach, singing about their lives and everyday experiences.
The album’s focus song is the sanguine, ‘At Your Door’. It’s catchy and upbeat, with hints of anthemic qualities and a beautiful marauding bass progression that adds an irresistible groove to the track amidst the sweeping and searing guitars. Seamlessly merging a more indie sound with rock, The Burma sings about the future and what it may hold. It’s a track about living in the moment, and choosing to neglect the cynical voices in our heads in favor of a fearless approach to life.
Overall, Crazy Dreams & Cruel Realities, with its sizzling synths, jangly guitars and euphonious vocals, is a certified Indie-Rock masterpiece devoid of fillers. Whether you’re searching for melancholic tracks rife with introspection, or slightly more up-beat songs with an almost punk-like energy and vigor, you’re certain to find something to resonate with. It’s an LP that feels like a dream, one where you’re walking the countryside in search of truth and love, only to find reality knocking at your door once the curtain closes with the final track.
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