The quick bio for Rochester band Croix sums up its sound as “punk sprinkles on an indie-rock sundae.” That ratio suggests a historically successful formula: melodic, yet riotous when called for.
On “Self Soothe,” the band’s debut full-length album released in late September, the math checks out. “Self Soothe” revels in a retro sound that captures both the charm of ‘60s vocal groups and the cold concrete of that era’s garage rock.
Depending on the listener’s state of mind, the result just might provide the balm the album’s title suggests.
Carmen Lewis’s voice sounds just as gripping bathed in reverb, like on the verses of standout “Death of Dreams,” as when it’s peaking with distortion, like on that song’s intense chorus. When she sings, I draw pretty pictures / I sing pretty songs / I dream in bloody nightmares / And refuse to see what’s in front of me on “Evan,” she presents a compelling portrait of her own insecurities when it comes to love.
The rest of the album bounds from Dum Dum Girls-style vintage cool (“Cabiria”) to full-on punk à la Mannequin Pussy (“Platinum”) and even boasts an understated acoustic anthem written for Lewis’s sister (“The Only J Name”).
Of course, Lewis can’t do this alone. Though Croix began as a solo endeavor in 2021, she has since rounded out the band to include Alyssa Zaso on bass, Anna Liebel on drums and Jennifer Wameling on guitar. Wameling’s lead guitar lines resist an urge to shred, opting for the sweet serenity Lewis’s songs need.
Wameling also co-wrote the blazing opener “Howl,” which ends with a repeated lyric that doubles as a raised fist against transphobia: My existence is resistance.
The album ends on quite a different note, with a charming and cheeky cover of Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’.” The evidence is clear. “Self Soothe” shows Croix has a heart of gold.
Patrick Hosken is an arts writer for CITY. He can be reached at patrick@rochester-citynews.com.
This article appears in Oct 1-31, 2024.
