Local Review: SuperBubble – Space Bound

SuperBubble
Space Bound

SuperBubble
Street: 03.09.19
SuperBubble = Kleeer + Pigeons Playing Ping Pong + Chicano Batman

Jazz, funk, pop and a touch of reggae rock—what more could you want from a band? Salt Lake’s own SuperBubble, a nine-person ensemble, brings all of these genres to the table in their album Space Bound while providing precision and flair in a jam-packed ride full of dynamite tunage. 

The hour-long album begins with “Hey Nice Coogi,” a solid song that shows exactly what you’re about to get into—a nice and funky time! The outstanding mix of piano, guitar, saxophone and trumpet is also what one can expect in the next track, “Orbicular Patterns.” This track delivers freshness and solidarity, and very much proves that SuperBubble know a thing or two about theory. Additionally, “Goods for You” totally owns up to the title with its damn good sax solo and synchronized melody, illustrating each band member’s impressive skill set. 

Moreover, “Inner Mission,” a hefty nine-minute song in the groovy vein of the Grateful Dead, sends the message of the ways in which music truly impacts each and every one of us as a positive force in our daily lives. The light yet fast-paced vocals from Brandon Barker and Rob Drayna maintain a fluidity and keeps the track balanced: “The woman that I love / Told me that music’s the most accessible drug … Music is just a series of vibrations / And us humans / Just a series of vibrations.” In other words, can people ever live without rhythm? A tune in one’s head? Would the world still turn without music and sound? 

The final track (and crowd favorite), “Hype Squad,” makes you want to join in on the fun with the band’s effortless-sounding riffs and the track’s suave trumpet solo. Oh, and how can I forget about those smooth piano keys? Yes, SuperBubble definitely takes advantage of the plenitude and contrast of noise and how we can make something out of, abstractly, nothing. 

SuperBubble is quite the band. They are obviously talented musicians, though ultimately, it’s the fact that each member purely enjoys playing music—that’s what I admire most. You can easily feel this passion in every song. Hear it for yourself! Or, better yet, once this goddamn coronavirus fleets off into distant time, catch them performing live. –Kassidy Waddell