Album Review: Been Stellar – Scream from New York, NY

A stellar hit from New York’s undying underground

Beneath the shining skyscrapers and bustling businesses of NYC lies a different world, a different culture; one of passion and dirty, dirty rock. “The City that Never Sleeps” would have no such title without it. Been Stellar are some of the newest artists to this scene, and are taking it by storm. The band is celebrated for their nostalgic shoegaze style alongside powerful lyrics taken from the streets they call home. Their debut album, Scream from New York, NY, exemplifies New York grunge in its greatest form, earning them a place in the city’s underground history.

“Start Again” kicks off the album with an aggressive attitude, no apologies, and pure passion. The song leads with an easy riff, but wastes no time before rolling in the dirt. Sam Slocum, the vocalist, is joined by Nico Brunstein on bass and drummer Laila Wayans to deliver a killer intro to the band’s style. Guitarists Skylar Knapp and Nando Dale screech onto the track to complete the set. The refrain thrashes against the city itself. Slocum screams “New York is wasted, start again, start again.” His frustration is real, it is palpable, but he refuses to surrender. “Start Again” rallys their audience to a banner of betterment, and does an incredible job getting anyone excited for what comes next.

The album’s titular track, “Scream from New York, NY,” brings a more mellow tone. It fights against the name, choosing instead to moan its lamentations. “It’s the end of the world, and I feel fine” sings Slocum, telling of a learned apathy to the wasting world around him. The bass keeps a morose melody, and while Knapp and Dale give a brief rise in action later in the song, they soon quiet down. The message is clear: they are trying to fight this sadness, but cannot overcome their weariness to win such a pitched battle.

The track “All in One” is Wayans’ opportunity to show off. Though the tone is somewhere in between the anger of “Start Again” and the fatigue of “Scream from New York, NY,” the drums are set apart by their fervor. Slocum’s voice is dreamy and drawn out, each of the guitars play a separate mid-pace tune, while Wayans spends her time going wild on a cymbal and snare drum kit. The precision to her craze is nothing short of impressive. Her playing is a tease for the song’s finale; a crashing wave of noise that gets fists in the air and hearts pumping.

Been Stellar have shown incredible promise with their first album. There’s no denying that they’re some of the best fresh blood among NYC rockers. Scream from New York, NY is living proof that true, dirty rock will never die.