Deal Casino - LLC — HEART EYES MAGAZINE

By: Angela Smith

On November 16, 2018 the New Jersey based band, Deal Casino, released their second album entitled LLC. The entire album gives off nostalgic vibes with the excellent use of synth and guitar. The album opens up with the single, “Color TV” which sets the tone for the entire album well. Though a slower song, it vividly showcases the raw emotion of waiting on another person and allows you to feel as though you are really there experiencing everything first hand. The next track, “Happy People”, keeps the same vibe as “Color TV” but comes off a little more uplifting than the previous track despite the subject matter being a little darker.

The next track “French Blonde” adds more synth while still feeling very much a part of the same album. “Chocolate Cake” brings the guitar back to the focus, and displays some of my favourite lyrics on the album. Further along in the album is the track, “Cookman” which has very insightful and relatable lyrics such as the line “I heard they’re giving out Grammy’s to the one with the shortest speech” and “You cuff your jeans, even though it’s getting cold, but we both know, you only shave the parts that show”.

The final two tracks on the album, “Terraforming” and “Father’s Day” both bring a similar melodic and sadder tone that seem to make the listener really think about what is being said.

The album as a whole, took a few spins for me to fully get into, as I’m not usually a big fan of downtempo songs. However, by listen three, LLC had me fully hooked and wanting to see Deal Casino again. The album sounds cohesive, and discusses similar yet not necessarily discussed topics that make me feel as though I am a part of what is being experienced. The synth and guitar play off each other well to create a very nostalgic tone that, to me, is the central sound of the entire album. If you enjoy downtempo indie synth pop, then LLC is a great album for you.