ADULT.

By Haven Langhout

ADULT. is the real-life couple Nicola Kuperus and Adam Lee Miller and a variety of undisclosed electronic music gear. Anxiety Always is their second full-length EP, their first being 2001’s Resuscitation. Like its predecessor, Anxiety Always features more songs about alienation and anxiety, but this album has a more human touch to it. Perhaps it’s the addition of a bass guitar played by Adam Lee Miller. It’s not strictly computers and gear anymore. Or maybe it’s because Nicola Kuperus’ vocal style isn’t as deadpan and flat as in the past. She actually has an inflection when her voice isn’t being fed through some processor. In “Kick in the Shin” she sounds a bit wounded delivering the lines “kick in the shin, is that how you say I love you?” – a definite departure from her previously emotionless delivery on other ADULT. releases.

ADULT. has a sense of humor. I’d like to think so with the lyrics on “Turn Your Back” where Kuperus taunts us “Could’ve been me, could’ve been you – neh neh neh, neh neh neh.” Or on the track “Shake Your Head” where Kuperus admonishes us to “ask your mother, the end of guessing games.”

The stand-out track on this album is “Glue Your Eyelids Together”, a catchy tune with a nice dirty bass line and the chorus “glue your eyelids together!” There’s almost a manic punkish energy to it.

I prefer Resuscitation because of its sparse, clinical quality, and it took me awhile to warm up to this album. Perhaps it’s because it gets a bit too “busy” in some tracks and Kuperus can sound shrill at times. But if you like this sort of music and keep in mind that ADULT. is being tongue in cheek, you’ll definitely enjoy this album, and it would make a fine addition to your collection.