Alternative indie band Silversun Pickups has received much praise for their most recent single, “Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)”, which is off of their 2012 album Neck of the Woods. The track has a slightly different sound from the Pickups’ past singles like “Lazy Eye” and “Panic Switch”. While their past songs have a more indie and obscure feel to them, “Bloody Mary” displays the confidence and growth that the band has developed. The song and album have both reached the top of U.S. Billboard 100 and is also prominent in Canada and Australia, showing the bands increase in popularity and fame. Although some could say that the band is slipping away from their indie roots, “Bloody Mary” still holds some of the Pickups’ unique aspects. For one, the track has very catchy and distinct rhythms like the bands’ other works. The lyrics and meaning behind the song are also ambiguous like past singles. One might think that the song is about a baby being born as lead singer Brian Aubert sings “You barely cried/ But you made it out alive/ And I’m so proud/ That you’re in my hands now.” In other parts of the song however, listeners may think that the lyrics have a different kind of intimacy than that of a parent-offspring relationship. Aubert suggests, “If we can stay here long enough/ We can play with Bloody Mary.” Though the message is up for interpretation, the musicians execute the sound smoothly with the different layers of synthetics, beats, and strings. Despite the change in sound, the recent track is a refreshing reminder of the band’s unarguable individuality. To call these artists just another alternative band would be a short-sighted review of the band’s true musical capability.

Click here to watch the video for “Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)”