Album Review: ‘Heavy Afternoon’ by Tebby & The Heavy

Tebby and the Heavy is an alternative rock band hailing from Edmonton. Known for their eclectic sound blended from all sorts of alt-rock genres (shoegaze, psych-rock, and surf to name a few), this local three-man band has been playing live since mid-2022. The group is Tebby Curtis on vocals and guitar, Louis Mendez on bass, and Joel Bruneau on drums. Despite being their usual drummer, Bruneau only plays on track four. Justin Vernroy plays drums for the rest of the record.

Born post-pandemic, the trio released their debut album Heavy Afternoon this year on August 15. The band has stated on their Bandcamp that the album “came from disillusionment, but also the search for renewal.” As well as “keeping your head out of the darkness and holding onto yourself.”

One striking thing about this album, especially to a new listener, is how dominant the instrumentals are. With such a simple setup, one would believe the band’s composition skills would be carrying their songs. However, it is in fact the modesty of their ensemble that makes their music easy to digest and enhances said composition. The result is something nearly fit to be a film soundtrack, with a catchy melody and fairly fast-paced beat. 

An example of this is the album’s introductory song, “Don’t Wait, Don’t Bother.” The vocals are entirely unintelligible and in only four lines. It is, however, a banger of an intro. The steady drumming, rolling guitar riffs, and dream-like vocals pump the audience up for more. “I’m On Fire” takes this even further. There’s one repeating line for lyrics and the electric guitar takes centre stage. And, it has a more clear, crisp sound to set it apart.

Another thing to note is the influence of other alt-rock genres. Most notably psychedelic and shoegaze rock, both of which often give off a heady, dreamy effect. This is seen in the fuzzbox and reverb effect present in both the instrumentals and vocals, Curtis’ singing style, and the abstract lyrics within most of the tracks. 

A song where this band’s stylization finds itself most prominent is the album’s title track, “Heavy Afternoon.” The instrumentals are somewhat distorted and seem to echo off each other. And, the lyrics outfit the depersonalization and unreal imagery such as “I am heavy afternoon.”

For anyone who just heard of this album, it’s a shock to find this was in fact their debut album. The band members’ elegant mastery over their craft shine through, providing enough for both casual and veteran alt-rock fans to chew on. This band, as well as this album, definitely deserves the love and spotlight it gets.