My first blush, knee-jerk reaction to this was an admittedly obscure one—”Piles”-era Alter Boys as interpreted by the Psychedelic Furs. Several subsequent listens later, I stand by that assessment. What’s it mean? Four tunes comprised of mid-tempo rhythms, quasi-raspy vocals, and meaty, punky pop hooks buried under a gorgeous wash of ringing guitars. These cats would’ve been revered in the underground of the ‘80s and worshipped as indie-pop gods in the ‘90s, and they would’ve deserved every accolade laid at their feet. Given the roughly twenty-year “what’s old is new” nostalgia cycle, they could conceivably become the next big thing.
–jimmy (Dead Broke)