Two Wheels Move the Soul by Robber Robber

Robber Robber is a band from Burlington, VT that combines a grungy shoegaze sound and post-punk with 90s trip-hop/electronic influences. Think Sneaker Pimps crossed with They Are Gutting a Body of Water. And it works.

Two Wheels Move the Soul is their second album, following their 2024 debut Wild Guess, also on Fire Talk.

From the label:

Two Wheels Move the Soul was written and recorded throughout the winter of 2024 and 2025, a season of Robber Robber ringleader Nina Cates’ life characterized by near-constant upheaval. In January of 2025, Cates (and Robber Robber co-founder) Zack James were displaced from their longtime home at the behest of a landlord’s call to have their building demolished. The personal and economic chaos of living at the mercy of nameless powers-that-be redirected into a hyperfocused attention on Two Wheels Move the Soul, which spans post-punk scorchers, burnt-out slacker anthems, and melodies that sweeten the bitter pills stomached along the way.

Cates on the album:

“It’s about building your dream out of rusty scrapyard bits and navigating difficult terrain with no map. Every day mental gymnastics, echolocation, wading slowly through murky water.

Favorite tracks:

• “New Year’s Eve”
• “Pieces”
• “Talkback”
• “Again”
• “Bullseye”

I love Cates’ lyrics as well, like on “New Year’s Eve”:

Now we’re blowing through straight Come on They already paved way Crossed off But still a lot on my plate Too much I’m sure you saw, I’m sure you saw

Yes I know (yes I know) And we’re crashing into place One stuck, then another one Guess I’d better stay Hold it in, spin around and bury Under salt and weight When I tunnel my way out I can’t get rid of that taste

And then it’s New Year’s Eve, What’s another year worth? But baby where did all the time go? I was stuck here tryna make it work

Cates on the song:

“New Year’s Eve” is a little bit more straightforward, about hustle culture and the constant grind while there’s also this ominous, looming, deep unsteadiness that’s going on in culture at large. We feel like all of our peers our age in a creative field like this are doing it on top of, like, 30 other things to be able to afford it and sustain it.

Preach.

Anyway, Robber Robber is worth your time and I highly suspect this album will be on my year end list.