Album Review: Bodega Debut An “Endless Scroll” of Punk Goodness

Bodega are true to their name. They treat genres like they are a row of Snapples in a bodega fridge, and they cannot decide which flavor to pick: post punk pomegranate, contemporary pop-peach, hip-hop hibiscus, kraut rock raspberry, or folk fruit punch. Yet, when your bodega is having a sale, you buy every flavor, and, for their debut, Endless Scroll, that is exactly what Bodega did.

I always say that punk, in any form, sounds like youthful angst. You could fuse it with jazz, electro, and even disco; but this genre adds zest to frustration that invites listeners. Thus, as you hear songs like “Williamsburg Bridge,” “Can’t Knock The Hustle”, “Bodega Birth”,and “Warhol”, you feel like you are zipping through life in an uber; meeting strangers, checking your rates, and wondering how many stars you’d give to the ride. Hence, my young “angst” analysis; even in our celebrations we still fight an inner “clutch” that tells us we need to be bigger, better, and happier than our current moment.

Beyond their “on the go” sound, Bodega’s narrative songwriting skills is their best asset. At the end of the day, people love a good story, and from “Margot” to “Name Escape” their songs feel like soundbytes of others’ lives. “Jack In The Titanic” or “Gyrate” are perfect examples of how Ben Hozie and Nikki Belfiglio have vocally united to become story-tellers. Ben’s voice rolls over rhythms like a bowling ball; ready to knock out the dissidence or dissonance of living. Meanwhile, Nikki pops in to harmonize and amp up that no one’s life story ends badly as long as it was written well.

Perhaps, “Charlie,” is the best example of how powerful Bodega can be. “On New Year’s Eve in 2007 my best friend Charlie drowned in the Charleston River,” explains Ben Hozie. “We had spent every day of that fall semester together; playing records and scheming plans for our great unformed rock and roll band at the University of South Carolina.” Yes, this is a tragic, true story that inspired a great song, but that is my point. Bodega take the humdrum and even horrible of life to create a sound the enlivens you through dread. For More Information On Bodega And To Buy Endless Scroll On July 6 Click Here.