Twisted Teens
Florida Water Blues
**** out of *****
The New Orleans based, offbeat rockers, Twisted Teens newest effort is a frenzied mix that touches on a wide range of genres, all filtered through a DIY lo-fi production style, clanging and banging around melodic song structures. Florida Water Blues is the second successful release of 2026 from the prolific outfit.
The core of the group, vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Caspian Hollywell and lap/pedal steel player Ramon "RJ" (Razor) Santos along with guitarist/baritone Mel Billiard are joined by various friends who keep things vibrating at a different level throughout the album. The tone is set from the beginning as opener "Why Did You Miss It?" thuds forward with distorted bass skittering drums and kinetic energy. That same feeling flows through "Swamp" and "Dancer" both of which pump up indie rock pulsing yet distressed and on edge.
The shaky/twitchy feeling and grimy, lo-fi production color these tracks with a cracked out vibe as efforts like "Concealed Weeping", with a new wave bass groove and "Top Of The World Hwy No. 2" buzzsaw guitars, give the feeling that the band can't sit still. Efforts like the propulsive "Guided Thunder" with it's OCD-ish digital changes out of nowhere and twang laden thumping of "Business" are experimental and Butthole Surfer adjacent.
Hollywell's knack for crafting a catchy tune behind the itchy feeling is what makes Twisted Teens worth checking out as efforts like "Hand Me A Cigarette" with it's mix of country guitars/thumping bass and the dusty melodic grooving of "Riding" are joyous. The album's title track may be the best of the bunch as pedal steel mixes with Buzzcock style punk pop in infectious fashion.
The group's overall sound is very reminiscent of Benjamin Booker's excellent debut record, substituting Booker's blues/punk energy for more twangy/art rock feel, but keeping the DIY spirit and lo-fi groove. Anything goes as "Javelina" is a slightly fuzzed up straight-ahead country gem, "Weather The Season" is a throwback 50's rock effort, and the dramatic closer "Sun Go Down" mixes a folk ballad with found sounds and experimental tape offerings.
The frantic feeling that things could spin out of control at anytime, while the band touch on any genre possible, runs throughout Florida Water Blues. An engaging mix of experimental and catchy, Twisted Teens are in their own bizarre groove, and it is exciting to hear what will come next.
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