The Russian Futurists recently released their newest album, Weight’s on the Wheels. Russian Futurists, the brainchild of musician Mathew Adam Hart, doesn’t disappoint with the new album. Hart, who records all the music himself and uses a live band to allow his songs to come to life at concerts, demonstrates a wide variety of musical talent on the new album. Even if you aren’t a fan of pop/psychedelic music, you will have to respect Hart’s musical abilities after listening to Weight’s on the Wheels.

Out of the 10 tracks on the album, “One Night, One Kiss” stands out against the rest as a great collaboration of musical elements. “One Night, One Kiss,” a duet with singer Ruth Minnikin, tells the story of two people who meet at a bar. They catch each other’s gazes, eventually leading to the mutual suggestion of “Let’s be lovers and spend the rest of the night under the covers.” Everything from how Minnikin’s singing compliments Hart’s voice to the song’s instrumental progression fits together perfectly. The track begins with a piano before giving way to Minnikin’s vocals and then Hart. As the lyrics get more intense, shakers and other instruments come into play. “One Night, One Kiss” is an excellent example of how the proper placement of instrumentals betters a song.

Two other attention grabbing tracks from Weight’s on the Wheels include “Tripping Horses” and “Horseshoe Fortune.” Both songs have an Owl City vibe to them. This vibe is created through the tone of the vocals and melodies of the instrumentals. “Horseshoe Fortune” even has peculiar lyrics comparable to Owl City’s hit “Fireflies,” a song which reached the top of the Billboard chart. “Fireflies” had odd lines like “’Cause I’d get a thousand hugs from ten thousand lightening bugs.” In contrast, “Horseshoe Fortune” contains lyrics about “a heart shaped like a four leaf clover.” Also somewhat weird is “Horseshoe Fortune” includes a reference to Gregory Peck, an actor not exactly well known in today’s pop culture. However, the obscure reference might be explained by the Russian Futurists looking for a name to rhyme with words like “train-wrecked” and “respect.” 

Musically, “Hoeing Weeds Sowing Seeds,” “100 Days Til’ Christmas,” and “Plates” all display the broad range in abilities the Russian Futurists possess. “Hoeing Weeds Sowing Seeds” has a lively rhythm which will get people itching to dance. “100 Days Til’ Christmas,” a song about yearning and wanting, has a more hip hop feel. The lyrics talk about a man in bed with one woman while thinking about an old flame. The man eventually hooks back up with his ex. However, now he is thinking about the other woman. This leads the Russian Futurists to ask the philosophical question “Does anyone know what the fuck we’re chasing?” “Plates” is more similar to “Hoeing Weeds Sowing Seeds,” but with a smoother rhythm. The beats which overlay the smooth rhythm is what makes “Plates” a noteworthy track. These instrumentals are rather easy to appreciate as well because the song has no vocals for a stretch over one minute and 40 seconds.

Overall, Russian Futurists provide a solid effort with Weight’s on the Wheels. Fans of the artist will not be disappointed as Hart remains true to the Russian Futurists sound. If you enjoyed past albums, like Let’s Get Ready to Crumble and Our Thickness, Weight’s on the Wheels shouldn’t disappoint. If you are just a music enthusiast thirsting for some new material to absorb yourself into, Weight’s on the Wheels provides enough musical variety to satisfy your metaphorical thirst.