Review / 200 Words Or Less
Strawberry Runners
P-Sides Demos

Independent (2014) Andy Armageddon

Strawberry Runners – P-Sides Demos cover artwork
Strawberry Runners – P-Sides Demos — Independent, 2014

Gloriously imperfect and scratchy, the P-Sides Demo by Denver, Colorado’s Strawberry Runners starts off with “Slip In.” Initially sounding like melodramatic ‘50s pop with a folky undercurrent and sauntering rhythm, the piece works towards a climax of triumphant guitar and jangly background noise. Singer Emi Knight provides a melodic focal point to the piece with her soaring vocal, while male vocalist David Runge sings the contemplative opening verses of second track "Blind Contour Lime.” Once Knight joins Runge in a gorgeous harmony, the piece is set to head straight into a positively jubilant finale. Instrumental “haahooh" meanwhile, built around a throbbing, buzzy melody and screechy background ambiance, concludes this brief release in an almost disarmingly low-key manner.

Recorded live at a band practice via Iphone, this demo might not seem like the perfect representation of Strawberry Runners, but really does capture the very essence of their brand of amiable pop music. Since there’s no amount of production magic to get distracted by, it's very easy to appreciate the songwriting craft on display in these lo-fi recordings. While P-Sides is probably not entirely essential, it's a tantalizing, near perfect introduction to the band. I’d definitely recommend it.

See also

https://strawberryrunners.bandcamp.com/album/p-sides-demo

Strawberry Runners – P-Sides Demos cover artwork
Strawberry Runners – P-Sides Demos — Independent, 2014

Related features

Strawberry Runners

One Question Interviews • March 18, 2015

Related news

Recently-posted album reviews

Sexfaces

Bad Vibes OST
Slovenly (2025)

Best thing about writing reviews is finding out about new stuff that I otherwise might not have heard. Also writing reviews for bands that aren’t friends of mine is pretty cool but when I hear a band I really like, like Sex Faces, it makes me want to be friends with them, I can't help it! I’m not even halfway … Read more

Unseemlier

I Have A Screw Loose, Somewhere
Sell The Heart Records (2025)

What does Unseemlier sound like? I've been mulling that question as I listen to I Have A Screw Loose, Somewhere for a while now. As I listen to more and more Sell The Heart releases, The band is from Boston, but seemingly influenced by late '80s DC. It's heavy, but more with hardcore-like vocals shouted over moving, building guitars and … Read more

Personality Cult

Dilated
Dirtnap (2025)

I had a hard time starting this review. I can’t help coming back to the fact that it sounds like Marked Men. It does, maybe intentionally so, as Dilated is the second of Personality Cult’s albums that is produced by Jeff Burke of Marked Men and Radioactivity. But I don’t necessarily like to say a band sounds like another band … Read more