Soda
Without a Head
DULL TOOLS
6/10
At the end of Without a Head, Soda’s six-song debut, you may still be waiting for its big moment. On first listen, the songs don’t leave a major impression. The good news is the Florida trio’s sludgy music only gets better after repeated plays. They sound like a run-of-the-mill punk band, but they’re elevated by a solid set of material that holds up—“Janie Juicehead” and “TV” are highlights. Soda’s lineup is vocalist/guitarist Arlington Garrett (a scene veteran late of American Snakeskin and St. Dad), vocalist/bassist Lara Lookabaugh, and drummer Meredith Kite. If we didn’t know better, though, the record’s male/female vocals could’ve been recorded by Mark Arm and Kim Gordon. Florida publications have referred to Soda as “Gainesville’s weirdest punk band” and “strange,” which is, uh, strange, because they’re not (unless Gainesville punk became especially tame after Hot Water Music peaked). Without a Head is nothing new, but the talent of Soda makes it a forceful debut nonetheless.
