You will discover each time you listen, you will hear something new” promises Dave Einmo on There is Loud Laughter Everywhere, his second full length as Head Like a Kite. With the record’s funked-up blend of electronica and indie rock, Einmo delivers on this promise by making music that is hypnotic, chaotic, and fun. Head Like a Kite’s debut, Scenes from the Home Movie, used Super 8 family home movies as samples that Einmo ran through a variety of old guitar effects. As on the debut Einmo is the only permanent band member, but he enlists the help of other Seattle musicians to complete his vision, including guest vocals from Asya (Smoosh) and Graig Markel, as well as Head Like a Kite’s touring drummer, Trent Moorman. Although Einmo has moved beyond home movies, on There is Loud Laughter Everywhere he employs samples collected during Head Like a Kite’s last tour as well as vintage LP records to “advise” listeners. Once again Einmo uses his sources as inspiration rather than a crutch. There are only a few places where the recorded samples are easily discernable (“No Ordinary Caveman,” “Daydream Vacation”). Unlike the debut, vintage horn samples pop up frequently (“We Were So Entangled,” “Everyday Should Be a Costume Party,” “Roll Credits”) and the tone is more optimistic. Einmo shows off his sense of humor by dressing as Superman, or wearing a mask on stage, but while he excels at being playful, he never crosses into parody. On “Keano’s Couch,” (“Someone saw a mouse in Keano’s couch / so the party moved to the other end of the house”) the song’s propulsive groove keeps the vocoder-laced lyrics from being merely funny. Surely he also knows that “Big FM Radio Hit” will never be as ubiquitous as “Stairway to Heaven,” but the title is justified by the monster hook that crests over the top of a wall of drums. The record peaks on “Six Bags of Confetti,” which starts with a nod to Back in Black and features the chorus “I stole your sister’s medication / and laughed all night long.” In contrast, the propulsive heat of “We Were So Entangled” and the slow, controlled burn of “Before We Go to Bed” share an intensity that cannot be mistaken for humor. On “Daydream Vacation,” Einmo and Asya create pure pop poignancy. I’d love to see these two make an entire record together. As the record ends, the title track’s lyrics (“There is Loud Laughter Everywhere… I almost feel like laughing myself”), delivered by a monotone male voice, bring reality back after all the parties, costumes, and confetti are over. - The Donnybrook Writing Academy