In this age of instant gratification and blog leaks, there are some cool kids who think this Boston band has already jumped the shark.
Yes, their 2008 single “Sleepyhead” was awesome and brought them international buzz. But this full-length debut—which includes the aforementioned single—is at worst awesome and at best one of the most impressive indie debuts of the year, regardless of how some keyboard-glued hipsters think they should sound. The single “The Reeling” is every bit the electro pop anthem you’d expect if you haven’t been able to shake “Sleepyhead” from your head. But the depth of this release proves they’re no one-hit blog anomaly. Synths, chimes, strings, kick-and-snare drum loops and gorgeous melodies collide throughout and are brought to life with vocalist Michael Angelakos’ high-end harmonies. Every densely-layered track is a digital pop adventure—whether it’s the pensive “Swimming in the Flood,” the soft rock touch of “Eyes As Candles” or the Britpop jangle of “Let Your Love Grow Tall.” And best of all, it doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not.
Dave Wedge
File under: MGMT, Hot Chip, Midnight Juggernauts