With Bitter Rivals dropping October 8th, Sleigh Bells has released two new tracks off the album: the title track “Bitter Rivals” back on September 6th and “You Don’t Get Me Twice” just this Tuesday. The indie rock duo comprised of Alexis Krauss, a former kindergarten teacher, and Derek Miller, who used to be in the hardcore band Poison The Well, is currently signed to noted Mom + Pop records.
Their most recent release features an extremely mild tone that strays from the original Sleigh Bells known in Treats (2010) and Reign of Terror (2012) without being totally foreign. “You Don’t Get Me Twice” holds true with roaring guitar riffs woven through Alexis’ lusciously high-pitched vocals, which come off as more melodic while still retaining the edge and seduction felt in previous albums. What also makes the track subtly different is that the shredded guitar riffs rotate with an acoustic guitar, thereby removing a decent chunk of the hard hitting and noise thrashing style away from Sleigh Bells.
If you’re a fan of the older albums, you will definitely feel Sleigh Bells’ roots in Bitter Rivals. For better or worse, “You Don’t Get Me Twice” serves justice to rookie listeners while providing the edgy fix veteran listeners yearn for.