Constellations

Jangle pop / light-touch indie with airy vocals, pop rock guitar, big bridges and choruses. Boston-based? Pshaw! This is total SoCal... at times. Watch out for those killer Stone Roses vocals -- really now, who’s surprised their singer’s name is NOEL? I’m generally skeptical of albums that frontload the best tracks, but ah well. Explore if you must.

Sophomore record for a band who already have four “former members”. You’re basically looking at Noel Kelly -- who sings and writes all the songs -- and whoever’s in his ensemble at the moment. I don’t think it’s possible for the guy to sound any more like Ian Brown... except when he unexpectedly (and competently!) apes Elliott Smith.

try: 2, 3, 4, 8
no FCCs

1. dig-in bass, even-spaced melody notes. something about this track bores me.
*2. starts with high-pitched organ. boppy bass. upbeat jaunt pop (paging phil and alan). random and unexpected operatic bridge?? whatever.
*3. melodic noodling, tight drums, mellow electropop. ba-da-dup vocal runs.
*4. slow & pretty. bells-effect keys. push-pull two-note verse. horn solo?!?
5. screechy, rough guitars. slightly lower nasal vocals. layered, looped, vocal-centric chorus takes over the track. FADE OUT mebbe 2:00 to end, or descend into mecha string section doom.
6. plucky banjo + oompa bass. horse-drawn carriage musak.
7. harder fuzz guitar sound. actually, sounds like... sludgy weezer.
*8. time signature hell. pretty, swoony, airy. ie, poppies will put them to sleep.
9. mainstreamy strummy guitar. overarcher vocals. big pop sound.
10. downtempo waltzer. super-high vocals. pretty, but directionless. early fade.