
The Terrys
The Terrys have described their song “Stay Free” as an anthem for laughing when the only other choice is to cry. The South Coast band’s third album is almost evenly split between that laugh/cry dichotomy, balancing their usual feel-good escapism with repeated tugs of melancholy. On the lighter side, “Catalonia Dreams” sees singer Jacob Finch slip into a breezy cadence that evokes 1990s-era California bands like Sugar Ray and Smash Mouth. “Spezial” and “Sorry Savage” get scrappier and more irreverent, but a sighing sense of reflection comes through loud and clear on tracks like “Matchstick” and “Eraser.” And if “Once Is Never Enough” initially scans as quite jaunty, its lyrics are considerably darker: Finch mentions selling his soul for another drink and sneaking off to partake in illicit substances before finding respite in summer daydreaming and the sweetness of love. Like kindred spirits Beddy Rays, The Terrys are gradually integrating notes of anxiety and depression into their once happy-go-lucky tunes as they work their way from carefree youth to more nuanced adulthood. Yet, rather than be a downer, it reflects a growing refinement in their reliably catchy songwriting.