Tiger Castle - The Stolen EP

Tiger Castle

The Stolen EP
self-released; 2014

3.5 out of 5

By Ethan Skelton

Get ready to rock your face off to a dance party put on by some hyped up robots. At least that’s the initial punch in the face waiting in store on The Stolen EP. The rest of the album takes different turns, but you won’t be able to shake “Hans & Franz.” It’s the black sheep, but it goes hard, kicks ass, and doesn’t care what you think. As one fan noted, “Was not expecting this. F***ing nice.” That pretty much hits the nail on the head. If this song is a testament to this band’s attitude, it stands as showing they are “live in the now” and make the best of what you’re given.

The Stolen EP is in literal reference to their recordings being….stolen. The cuts were about to be finalized, but the iPad they were stored on was jacked, leaving them with only the semi-finished product. So Tiger Castle kicked some walls, dropped some shots, and just went with what they had. Maybe not exactly like that, but they pressed on nonetheless. And honestly, I wouldn’t have guessed this album was unfinished – it fits the bill in my eyes.

So let’s move ahead to track 6, “Gopher Wood.” It’s the closest resemblance to that killer of an opener. I do this because this is where Tiger Castle hit their stride. I was impressed with “Killed It” and it’s reserved character, but those few cuts were kind of just there and then gone. A song makes its impact more when you’re not listening to it than when you are. That’s speaking to longevity not necessarily direct listening pleasure. And that’s a lot of what I look for in albums to really gauge my take on things.

“All Summer In A Day” is a banger of punk attitude and pop orchestration. Following the chorus, the keys squeeze out a cute and irresistible little lick that sounds like a whimsical taunt. The guitar rips and squeals as the drums bash without a care, setting the stage for a wild party that needs to happen. And now. And last but not least, I will call upon “Plinks & Plunks,” a delicate and treble-fueled package of bells and dual melodies. The track is solid musically and really activates a lot of movement and counterpoint with such unconventional instrumentation. It’s like Tiger Castle is saying, “You don’t know us, you only think you do. Check this out.” And I dig that. Eclectic and maybe a little strange, but this stuff is worth every minute.

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