Stop Berries, Berries, And Berries, Berries

As the unwieldy title suggests, the debut album from Milwaukee’s The Fatty Acids, Stop Berries, Berries, And Berries Berries, isn’t short on ideas or over-caffeinated energy. The standout track “Howl” utilizes a fuzzy, driving bassline, frantic percussion, and airy vocal harmonies to convey an overwhelmingly youthful intensity that distinguishes the best aspects of the album. Elsewhere, the Fatty Acids get a little less straightforward: While “Howl” buzzes in and out in less than three minutes, the sprawling, immersive two-part opener “Cosmos” covers the gamut of electronic bleeps and bloops, grandiose horn parts, and sudden, occasionally thunderous rhythmic shifts.

It sounds like a mess, but The Fatty Acids somehow pull it all together to winning effect most of the time. “Astrovan” has foot stomps, handclaps, and disco-punk drumming, but all the pounding ends up working together in service of a highly danceable groove. Sometimes the lyrics get lost in the mix, though some choice lines manage to poke out amid the sonic stew, like the inspiring “In the afterlife we’ll howl, not drift around up in the clouds” on “Howl.” Ultimately, the rush of sonic exploration far outpaces what can be articulated on Stop Berries, Berries, And Berries Berries and the sense of wide-eyed adventurousness is infectious.

Stop Berries, Berries, And Berries Berries is available for free at the band’s website. The Fatty Acids perform Aug. 20 at Club Garibaldi.