home remedy finds remedy to modern music

When my friends ask me to give them my opinion of music they have written, it makes me nervous. Of course, I will give honest and positive comments, but sometimes I worry they will see through my charade. However, home remedy’s debut album “Varsity” was different. The only concern I had was appearing too geeked about the music and for my friend not believing I truly felt that way.

Notre Dame’s very own sophomores Troy McFarland and Madi Soiney are in the group, home remedy, while the other members live all over the country and the world. This diverse group of people is directly reflected through the eccentricity of the album.

Think Brockhampton meets Clairo meets Rex Orange County. The album takes the listener back to a high school football game, and a time when all that mattered was getting invited to a party and sitting next to the girl or guy you liked. In other words, it is a mishmash of passionate autumn emotions, each of which naturally bubble from the album. home remedy leads listeners through the deep pockets of nostalgia, illuminating the lovely times we’ve experienced, then drowning us in a refreshing fit of teenage angst. You can’t call yourself an indie fan and not enjoy this album.

The first track, “D-1,” immediately immerses the listener into the heart of the album. The song begins with a distant and wavy waltz between vocals and piano, only to melt away into a beautiful guitar riff. It talks of a hopeless crush and the attempts to brush off those bitter feelings like a cold breeze. The second song on the album is “Subaru,” my personal favorite. This song showcases the several conflicting styles this band is comfortable lacing together. It is an impressive piece of production. It is as if the listener is attending a music festival where every artist performs on one song.

“All Morning” is another star of the album, highlighting one of their many talented vocalists. The simple piano melody fuses with an orchestra of background vocals and harmonies creating an undeniably catchy tune when combined with the steady beat of the drums. Another catchy pop track, “California,” is where home remedy fantasizes the fulfillment of a high school daydream — running away to the west coast, living out of a car and having no other than your lover.

Again, demonstrating the impressive production capability, home remedy’s debut album “Varsity” takes a two-song hip-hop intermission, riddled with teenage angst. It is as if the home team is losing and needs a pep talk, and the songs “Tailgate” and “Halftime” do not withhold energy in hyping us up.

The strong second half includes “Fever,” “Wet Pavement,” “Lost” and “NY,” all of which are very enjoyable songs. However, the closing track, “Red Light,” is certainly the game winning play. A lo-fi, R&B beat meets emo, indie vocals, and the song does not let the listener avoid any of the feels. The song is ballad-like and has something that everyone can relate to — especially how this “whole damn world’s gone gray, and I watch, and I let it pass away, all these Michiana days…”