The Oklahoma-based alt-rockers return more than six years since their last LP, Bad Behavior, with a fifth LP of finely crafted songs of a distinctively warm, gentle sound, textured guitar layers and Ryan Lindsey’s unusual, high, understated, oddly soothing voice. Lindsey doesn’t so much annunciate words but softly caresses them, as if playing a priceless instrument with a soft, gloved, sensitive touch. And while the band may be best known to wider audiences for TV theme music, such as the HBO series Girls, their oeuvre is rich, subtle, original and nuanced, and to experience their music is all about the sonic and woozy hues of mood. Joined by Ben King (guitar), Penny Pitchlynn (bass), and Nathan Price (drums), they weave a sound that is often relaxingly strange, with a particular pleasurable balm to the soul emanating from opener Imagination (“Imagine time, when it don't fly by”) the shuffling rhythm and layered vocals of Funny, and the lovely strumming, riffs and chord changes of Think I Pass. Meanwhile I Swear is sparser still, Original Guilt has a ghostly ethereality, as does much of the album all the way to closer Dreamin. Two tracks move into different, if still gentle-ish waters – the dark thrums of Cool, and then a little bubble in the stream, So Gone, with almost clubby beats summoning a whispery, trippy, catchy, smoky and smooth MDMA haze. Best enjoyed strolling through sunny fields on headphones, or late at night, all natural pleasures indeed. Out on Broncho Worldwide.
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