Indie-rock group, The Crystal Casino Band, has fully delivered with their latest album “Maryland House,” serving as a sign of the times.
The album starts off strong with “Curfew,” written about the Jan. 6, 2021 riots. The band, which is based out of Washington D.C., witnessed both the riots themselves and the aftermath of it, which they detail throughout the song, referencing the titular curfew they were put under and the shock and stress that came with it.
This politically-charged theme continues throughout the album, which comes as no surprise for fans of the group. Songs like “Twenty Something Socialist” expresses a frustration towards the political state of the nation over a catchy, upbeat guitar hook, a style that the band has wholeheartedly embraced in their music. Others like “Half Staff” details a disillusionment towards the institution of government as a whole, even before the modern era, referencing both Johnson administrations.
But, the album is not all politics. The other main theme of the album deals with love and relationships in the 2020s, an era increasingly marked by a culture of non-commitment and instability.
Songs like “Talking Stage” highlights this and serves as both a commentary on the aforementioned stage before a relationship, as well as a little bit of motivation to not become discouraged when you’re in it. Songs like “Until the Sun Comes Up” and “Boys and Girls,” on the other hand, describe very unstable relationships involving questions of cheating, something many of us experience at one point or another. Others like “Antlers” takes a slightly more blunt approach, detailing a member’s near death experience of almost hitting a deer while driving and coming to the realization that he should never take his relationship for granted, as they explained on their TikTok account.
Still others, such as “City That Sleeps,” tells stories of love set against the backdrop of a Washington D.C. night. The first follows Jude and Claire, who are seeing each other but aren’t in love with each other, at least anymore. The second follows Jane and Emily, friends who are beginning to wonder if the friendship is something more. The third is the narrator’s, detailing his own anxiety about the person he’s interested in.
But what really shines through in the album is the band’s musical maturity. The band started out with a style that one could find in a Tumblr nostalgia playlist with Two Door Cinema Club and Cage the Elephant. However, the group has been steadily evolving since, expanding their sound through changing up their style, which really showed in “Maryland House.”
Harmonicas, mandolins, ukuleles, and trumpets appear on the album, and each song feels different as a result. Some take a hard and heavy approach, like “Jamie,” marked by overdriven electric guitars and the vocals of all the members. Others embrace a more relaxed, almost beachy sound, like “Getting Closer,” which feels almost nostalgically summary and serves as the perfect album closer.
Overall, “Maryland House” wholly delivers on all fronts, showcasing the band’s musical versatility and their desire to outdo themselves time and time again.
