Waiting Room EP. Kids With Buns

Another band with one foot in rock and the other in the dreamworld. Waiting Room is the kind of record combining the two in the exactly the right way. There's a lot to dream away to and more than enough keeping the listener on his toes. Like those lucid moments when the conscious and subconscious mix in between dreams and reality.

Kids With Buns is a duo from Belgium, Marie van Uytvanck en Amber Piddington its members. Having started only a few years ago, it has already made a modest name for itself in Belgium. With Waiting Room, a five song mini album, Kids With Buns makes it debut as a record releasing band.

Looking at the cover art, the picture immediately reminded me of Wet Leg. Musically the two are rather wide apart. The music on Waiting Room is serious. The singing is subdued. The deepish voice for a woman sets the mood. She sings in a way that evokes melancholy and gives the impression of sadness. The music fully underscores this, adding a little escapism due to the dreamy nature.

All these parts make the album to go two of either ways, on any given moment. In general I like it, otherwise you would not be reading this. It makes for a nice and sometimes even great listening experience. On other moments I definitely need to hear something else. The moment moods do not match. Overall, certainly the first option prevails. Then I hear the beautiful guitar part in 'untitled (live)' and drift way with its reverb laden notes and chords.

Promo photo: Isaac Ponseele

Comparisons here in NL can be made by mentioning Dakota and its follow up Loupe. Like that band Kids With Buns can sound totally dreamy and rock out, like the band does in the title song. Guitars, bass and drums play a huge role, shaking things up. As such it may have fitted better as a final song, where it would have brought everyone back into the regular world after wallowing in the Kids With Buns' one for a short while.

Waiting Room is only a mini album, but worse introductions to a new band can be imagined. With Waiting Room Kids With Buns has put itself on the map and is a welcome addition there.

Wout de Natris

You can order Waiting Room on the band's banscamp page:

https://kidswithbuns.bandcamp.com/album/waiting-room-ep