Half indie pop songs and half sad acoustic songs make up this pretty decent album from these San Diego kids. Although mostly built around guitar and voice, the instrumentation varies nicely from song to song with keyboards, accordions, xylophones, drum machine, strings. Taste also varies from song to song, with the occasional shitty song disappointing an otherwise great flow. But because of some great moments in songwriting and a slight indie quirkiness that’s reflected instrumentally and vocally, the album is likely to appeal (in a vague way) to lovers of Pavement, the Microphones. While I can’t say I love this album to death, parts of it work really well!
1, 3, 14, 6, 12, 5.

1. percussive start, sad indie vox + xylophones. midtempo pop
2. drum machine, fuzz bass. most upbeat song here. not bad!
3. slow ¾ drum machine, screechy keys, harmonica, great whiny vox.
4. midtempo groove with keys, accordion, monotone vox.
5. just keys + falsetto, pathetic and cute. slightly out strings at end.
6. midtempo pop song. nice, pavement kind of pop quirkiness
7. raygun sounds, acoustic, bad voice. not successful, too serious.
8. guitar harmonics, falsetto voice. mellow but rhythmic. not bad.
9. short synth interlude
10. accordion, acoustic, xylophone. bad strummy guitar pop at end.
11. acoustic guitar + intimate voice. ok, but too singer-songwriter-y
12. slow, stagnant accordion, quiet drums, string screeches. great!
13. acoustic riff, storyteller feel. i like for some reason. quiet at 4:15
14. acoustic + cute, hoarse voice. great overdriven drums at end!
15. bad cheesy acoustic arpeggiation. No.
16. quiet. sad vox, acoustic, mysterious chimy synth in background.
17. short sad acoustic + voice, ambient sounds by 2:00