The band Rainbow Kitten Surprise was formed in 2013 in the dorm room of Darrick Keller and Ela Melo at Appalachian State University. These two became the vocalists and brought their friends into the band. Their first label was Split Rail Records, a student-run label at their university, which is how they got discovered.
Their most recent work, “How to: Friend, Love, Freefall,” is one of their most popular albums. Released in 2018, the album features the song “Fever Pitch,” which climbed to number 34 on Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart in the spring of 2018—and it’s not hard to see why.
RKS has an indie pop-punk sound, with a mix of acoustic and electric guitar, light drums, and haunting yet smooth vocals. Songs like “It’s Called: Freefall” and “Devil Like Me” showcase raw, introspective lyrics about struggles and themes of hell, drawing listeners into the emotional depth of their music.
It’s a great and accessible album for people looking to branch out from standard pop into indie music. The lyrics are well-written, pulling listeners into the world they create through their sound and storytelling.
Rating: 8/10