Album Review: "Residual Child" by Butterflies

"Residual Child" is released November 23 on Trekky Records 

Butterflies are a band out of Chapel Hill that just released their sophomore record, "Residual Child" on Trekky Records, a record that comes out of the gate pretty clear with it's intentions...to have some fun. More specifically, the album focuses a lot on finding happiness in what's around you, and when you put out a record like this one there's a lot to be happy about. The band has improved leaps and bounds since their last record, adding another member with Patrick Jones who has added much more depth to the band than on their previous record.

The album's opening song, "Serious Fun" sets the tone for much of the rest of the record. Josh Kimbrough let's everyone know that, "sometime's you've gotta get serious if you wanna have fun" and those lines sum up the sound of this album perfectly because there's an equal blend of the two. Songs like "Goodbye (Like A Stranger)" draw you in with poppy riffs and keep you interested with a catchy hook and great lyrics. Kimbrough's lyrics really shine through in this album, giving you an insight as to what each song is really about while still leaving enough open for the listener to interpret by themselves. Kimbrough's lyrics range from intelligent, yet quirky ("And our potential for success was when the standards were low/That's why Rivers never reached us after 'Say It Ain't So'") to heartfelt and personal ("And if you do nothing more/Just put your arms around me and keep my body warm"). Slower songs like "Sleepless" all seem calculated and precise, building up towards a brilliant blend of sonic layers that gives the song a much fuller sound than those on the previous record. Another standout track was "Tired Pose", a song that builds up excellently only to strip it back down at the end with brilliant harmonies with a sing-along worthy refrain that I can't wait to hear performed live. The album closes out with "Canteen", a track that focuses on the simpler aspects of love, continuing with the focus on the simple things in life, ("When I see you lying in the trenches/Tired and dirty/ I want to dry your boots/I want to load your weapons/I want to fill your canteen").

With "Residual Child", Butterflies have created a fantastic album that showcases the best of what they do. Kimbrough's songwriting has improved vastly and with Patrick Jones added to the mix, I'm very intrigued as to how the band will continue to grow throughout the rest of their career. If they continue making the leaps that they did inbetween their first and second albums then the possibilites are limitless for Butterflies. Do yourself a favor and pick up this album.