Luchador Libre Creates Happy Indie Pop

David Garrick August 7, 2018 4:00AM

Luchador Libre makes music like you've never heard before. Photo by Chelsea Purgahn

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If you're making pop music, you can either get your beats in order, get your hooks ready, or go do something like no one else is doing. The last one, is the route that Kingwood's Luchador Libre has taken on his debut album, Bit By Bit in which he mixes chip tune elements into folky indie pop.

Opening with the ultra-catchy sounds of "Friend Zone," the song in so many ways reminds you of bands like The Rentals, Apples In Stereo, or even Of Montreal mixed with acts like Get Up Kids or Weezer. The lyrics peppered with video game refrerences are pretty funny. The electronic elements continue on "Apple of My Eye," where the almost They Might Be Giants sounds of the vocals intertwine with the pop hooks.

Things stay catchy on the track "Single," where the music tends a little closer to third wave emo. The music is essentially indie folk pop, but with the electronic elements and nerd references, Luchador Libre takes things further than previous nerd music groups had. Even the tender track "Monomania" has elements that hop on and off the track that steer it from folk pop ballad, and closer to slow pop.

The well crafted pop rock sound of "Player 2 Blues" or the chill wave electro-pop of "Tumbleweeds" just proves that Libre can do whatever he wants with his music.

You can stream Bit By Bit on all platforms, purchase it from the Google Play store or the iTunes store, or from the group's Facebook page. You can catch Luchador Libre in person when they perform at White Oak Music Hall on Friday, August 10. The all ages show has sets from The Last Human, Kemo For Emo, and The Prettybads. Doors at 8 p.m.; tickets $5.

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David Garrick is a former contributor to the Houston Press. His articles focus primarily on Houston music and Houston music events.

Luchador Libre Creates Happy Indie Pop

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