Album Review: Numbskull – The Band Ice Cream

On August 17, 2018, The Band Ice Cream released their second album, Numbskull.

The first time I heard The Band Ice Cream was when they opened for Destroy Boys at Bottom of the Hill in July. I instantly fell in love with their peppy brand of indie rock. As soon as the show finished, I got in my car and started listening to their debut album, Classically Trained, on the drive home. To be completely honest, I was a little disappointed.

The songs were still good. I found myself adding “Jerk it Off” and “Seventeen” to nearly every one of my playlists. I just felt the recordings were missing the extra kick that had made them so great live.

Whatever the problem was, they fixed it for their sophomore release, Numbskull. Though I was excited for each new single to drop, that is not solely where the strength of this LP lies. In fact, I don’t find myself queuing up any of the singles.

That’s because I’m too busy listening to this album on repeat.

Numbskull begins with the high energy and danceable “Softboy Rock” that gets you hyped up for the rest of the album right off the bat. Directly followed by “In the Band”, Ice Cream isn’t afraid to let you you know exactly what they are (and aren’t) about.

Next is the album’s namesake. The desperate tone of the vocals paired with the catchy melody on this upbeat track make it one of my favorites. Following is the happiest track off this record, “Your Guy”. This love song needs to come with a warning because it might make you reconsider taking time to just be single.

Thankfully, this thought is instantly remedied by the leading single “When You Are Not Around”, an angsty track perfect for when you’re just sick and tired of someone who seems to constantly fuck up your life. It’s in a close race with “Numbskull” for my personal favorite track off the album.

Up next is “Roses in the Morning”. Maybe it’s the slight scream-singing in the chorus, the sprinkling of self-deprecating lyrics, or the mention of alcohol within the first two lines, but this track feels very reminiscent of FIDLAR while still holding onto the band’s unique style.

Ice Cream’s regularly scheduled programming returns with “Pistol”. This song exemplifies the new and improved Ice Cream. It still stays true to the sound of their debut LP, but slightly calmer and more mature. A seamless transition into “Back Tonight” kicks off the most emotional track of this record. The melancholy tone and sentimental songwriting offers the band a chance to display how much they have evolved since their last release.

The ninth and last song off Numbskull is aptly named “Line #9”. Similar to “Pistol”, it’s another classic, though slightly softer track to calmly close off the album. It showcases a more evolved sound for the band, making listeners even more interested in what The Band Ice Cream will release next.

As “Softboy Rock” starts playing again you decide it deserves just one more listen before changing the music. Somehow, you eventually find yourself still listening to Numbskull three hours later, and enjoying it like the first time.

Make sure to catch The Band Ice Cream at the Rickshaw Shop in San Francisco on August 30th!

For a complete list of tour dates click here.

Listen to Numbskull here.

Photo Credit: Ismael Quintanilla

Instagram: @iq3photography

This album review was written by Brigid Ahern.

Instagram: @brigid.ahern