Imagine if Neutral Milk Hotel had a younger brother who was really into pop. This is that younger brother. Lo-fi, yet unabashedly pleased to be there; this album shines in being not only fun, but being thoughtfully so. The Mistress opens with a really cool harmony over sparse, yet fitting, guitar, loping in and out of tonality as it seemingly wakes up, still ready to go back to sleep. But it doesn't. WHALE, the standout track on this album, starts with some drum pounding and harmonics, the singing of lyrics playing second fiddle. In the background: a whale? muffled screaming? But suddenly we're on the ocean. Some really rad percussion ensues, and the album keeps building until the throbbing riffs in track four begin, and carry through most of the album. Strangest use of vocals? Track five. It's just weird to hear, but pleasant at the same time; imagine being haunted by an acapella quartet of ghosts. The album ends on a shoegaze-y note, dreamy vocals to coast on out. All in all, a good album worth hearing.

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Labels: indie, lo-fi, Pop, shoegaze