“Nails pressed through beggars hands.”
The brainchild of long-time UK scene creative Olli Appleyard, post-hardcore unit Static Dress debuted in 2019. The group have since spent their time building a cryptic, enticing image filled to the brim with mystique, and enough brainteasers linked to their various releases to keep fans on their toes, eagerly anticipating what’s next. It’s been quite a long ride to this point for Static Dress, though it feels like their debut(s) have come together fairly quick in comparison to the slow build and establishment. Their debut full-length, Rouge Carpet Disaster (out this week via self-release) shortly follows their debut EP, Prologue, which launched only a short number of months ago, last December, to almost unanimous praise.
With these releases, it seems Static Dress are intent on not simply putting out music to put out music, however, as each piece of the puzzle that makes up these releases seems to have purpose and intent. Prologue served not only as the literal prologue to the conceptual narrative of Rouge Carpet Disaster, but further served as the soundtrack to a comic book of the same name, containing a visual narrative establishing the events that would eventually lead up to the hotel-based setting of the full-length. I won’t go into too much detail about the conceptual elements in this review, but it’s certainly worth looking into if you’re a fan of that stuff, as there’s some incredibly well thought-out world building to be found here.
Rouge Carpet Disaster opens with its best foot forward, starting with one of the album’s strongest cuts in “fleahouse”. Opening with a representative spread of the band’s sound (which admittedly seems to directly draw from influences such as My Chemical Romance, Underoath and Taking Back Sunday), “fleahouse” is a fun, catchy and ferocious introductory track to set the scene of Rouge Carpet Disaster’s world. A couple of tracks later, we find “Push rope”, a boppy 2000s alt rock romp, whose main riff strangely triggered memories of Breaking Benjamin’s seminal 2002 hit “Polyamorous”. Certainly one of the bouncier tracks across Rouge Carpet Disaster, this track seems destined for a live setting in which each and every audience member is screaming the lyrics right back at the band.
With the pedigree of Loathe’s Erik Bickerstaffe helming production on the record, going in I think it’s safe for one to assume there are going to be some atypical production choices for a record of this style, and one would be correct. Frenetic, hyper-distorted vocal passages; tape stops; and an assortment of strange diegetic sounds are littered across Rouge Carpet Disaster work to amplify the album’s unique aesthetics and world building, giving you a glimpse into the album’s world and the many rooms of the hotel the story of this album takes place in.
Mid-album cut “Courtney, just relax” enters the fold with unstoppable force, standing as easily the heaviest and most sonically dark track across the record. Chaotic, dissonant guitars punch through as Appleyard’s piercing vocals provide a sense of panic and urgency to the track. Devolving into an almost mathcore-esque break in its mid-section, the wholly-linear songwriting on “Courtney, just relax” provides a violently chaotic, but ultimately incredibly fun cut amongst the relatively softer tracks that surround it.
Late-album cuts “Unexplainabletitlesleavingyouwonderingwhy (Welcome In)” and “Marisol” provide polar-opposite views of Static Dress’ sonic palette on Rouge Carpet Disaster, to its absolute credit. The former of the two feeling like an apt homage to a Three Cheers-era MCR tune, replete with pick-up-your-feet riffing and an emotive, belted chorus. The latter of the two, however, provides a slow-burn structure that culminates in one of the most downright gorgeous verses I’ve heard all year. The way in which Appleyard croons “before I have to leave…” as the track explodes in a beautiful shoegaze-esque passage truly tugs at the heartstrings, and serves as likely my favourite moment across Static Dress’ whole discography. Further, the somber strings that close out the track provide enough emotional weight following that final verse that it will be surely enough to make many a listener genuinely tear up. Just gorgeous.
Actual closer “cubicle dialogue” feels less like the sonic apex of the record that I felt “Marisol” represented, and more of the closing credits of the album, so to speak. The way in which it thematically ties the record together (as well as slyly calling back to one of the band’s early singles, “safeword”, in its final verse) feels like an apt way to close out such a conceptual record. Though, I can’t shake the feeling that the raw emotional weight of “Marisol” may have made it a more appropriate closer in practice. That said, however, “cubicle dialogue” is in its own right a fantastic cut, and a brilliantly executed track that draws this chapter of Static Dress’ story to a close.
Overall, with Rouge Carpet Disaster, Static Dress have created one of the most enticing, catchy and fun alternative releases of the year. While it’s certainly a product of its influences, that’s not necessarily a net negative, as the execution of the sounds Static Dress hone in on across Rouge Carpet Disaster is nothing short of stellar. Even through that, however, Static Dress carve their own path amongst their influences through their masterful sense of storytelling, world building and soundscaping. Only time will tell what comes next for Static Dress. An Epilogue chapter, perhaps? A whole new story? At any rate, after hearing Rouge Carpet Disaster, the world will surely be listening with bated breath for what will follow.
9/10
Rouge Carpet Disaster is out now via self-release, and you can find the album, along with physical versions and merchandise, here.