by David Wilikofsky
Sometimes you know you’re going to love an album the moment you hear it’s opening notes; The Styrofoam Wino’s self titled debut studio album is one of those records. “Stuck In The Museum”, the album’s lead single and first track, is a country inflected rocker that tells a quixotic tale of wandering around a museum and meeting some quirky characters. It’s fun, it’s catchy, and it’s been on repeat since I first heard it over a month ago. Luckily the rest of the album doesn’t disappoint. It’s one of the most joyous records I’ve heard in 2021 to date.
Styrofoam Winos, made up of longtime friends Joe Kenkel, Trevor Nikrant, and Lou Turner, originally formed in 2016. Each member shares vocal and songwriting duties, and the whole album feels like a cozy jam session. There are a wide range of styles on display aside from the country adjacent rock of “Stuck In The Museum”. “Skyline Top Removal” has the slacker rock vibes of Pavement. The riffs on “School In The Morning” remind me of a less bombastic Arcade Fire track. “Roy G Biv” is cosmic Americana at its finest. Their lyrics range from introspective (“In Your Room”) to satirical (“Skyline Top Removal”). Taken in total, it’s kaleidoscopic yet manages to be cohesive.
I played violin from childhood to college. To be honest, I wasn’t particularly good. I had raw talent but had little to no interest in practicing. What really kept me going was playing in groups. I participated in more chamber groups and orchestras than I can remember because it always felt special to sit down in a room of four or forty other musicians and create something together. That collective joy in music-making is something that seems to get lost in the discourse around contemporary music, but it’s palpable throughout Styrofoam Winos. They aren’t Lou Turner, Joe Kenkel, and Trevor Nikrant on this album; they are Styrofoam Winos. It’s an album that manages to capture the ineffable feeling of creating music together, and that alone is reason to listen.