Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

Mothman and The Thunderbirds – So Long (Portal Hopper) (2024)

Eclectic, electric, enthusiastic and intoxicating – these are just a few words I can use to describe Mothman and The Thunderbirds. The brainchild of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alex Parkinson, the US-based project slips from psychedelia to punk with strong inklings of metal and indie-rock; however, his heart lies in the heavier, harder side of rock. According to Spotify, the band released their debut single ‘Infinite Ocean’ and over the past few years has quickly made waves far beyond the North American borders. From France and Germany to Brazil, Australia, Canada and the UK, Mothman and The Thunderbirds has featured on international publications, radio stations and playlists.

Following the well-received single ‘Ruby Skies’, Mothman and The Thunderbirds switches from a classic rock tune to a far more genre-diverse swirl of pop-rock, indie-pop and hard rock in the new single, ‘So Long (Portal Hopper)’. Unlike ‘Ruby Skies’ which tunnels slices of alternative rock into a classic rock sound, ‘So Long (Portal Hopper)’ is a kaleidoscopic two minutes of madness.

Opening with a twinkling of dream-pop synths met by Alex Parkinson’s smooth indie-rock vocals, you feel ready to lie back and enjoy a laidback shimmering of pop-tinged music; then heavier sounds wrap about with reckless abandon. Retaining a steady beat that is oddly enough toe-tapping in its chaos, Parkinson’s hard rock guitar rushes forward with a bold bass and pounding drums. A seeming juxtaposition of poppy joviality veiled by the brashness of hard rock. Taking the tune back a few decades, Sam Parkinson’s powerful guitar solos lean toward a vintage 70s classic rock.

Taken from Mothman and The Thunderbirds’ upcoming concept album Portal Hopper, ‘So Long (Portal Hopper)’ is the psychedelic swoosh of frenzied music. Interestingly, while the single is a bit of a head-twirling mass of confusion, a sense of cohesion presents everyone with comfortable fuzzies. I highly recommend Mothman and The Thunderbirds to everyone!!


In addition to the single, Mothman and The Thunderbirds released an official lyric video for ‘So Long (Portal Hopper)’. You can view the video below or on their YouTube channel. Please note that this video uses lighting effects that can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.


THIS VIDEO USES LIGHTING EFFECTS THAT CAN TRIGGER SEIZURES IN PEOPLE WITH PHOTOSENSITIVE EPILEPSY
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED

Find out more about Mothman and The Thunderbirds on their X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.

This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator


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