The Brunettes

'Structure and Cosmetics'

Duo embellish playful indie pop with grown-up moodiness.

Spin Rating6 of 10

On 2004's Mars Loves Venus, these New Zealanders developed a scrappy, concise, girl-group-tinged sound. But with the band's third LP and Sub Pop debut, Heather Mansfield and Jonathan Bree inject their twee aesthetic with psychedelic flourishes both buoyant and shadowy. On opener "Brunettes Against Bubblegum Youth," a handclap ditty swells with horns, spacey blips, and buzzy, driving guitar. Though the Brunettes' dreamy sonics occasionally wander off course ("Her Hairagami Set"), the band's endearing lyricism benefits from the instrumental boost.

Now Hear This:
The Brunettes - "Small Town Crew" DOWNLOAD MP3

By William Goodman

1 Van Halen 'A Different Kind of Truth'
2 Lana Del Rey 'Born to Die'
3 Cloud Nothings 'Attack on Memory'
4 Kathleen Edwards 'Voyageur'
5 Himanshu 'Nehru Jackets'
6 The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'
7 Of Montreal 'Paralytic Stalks'
8 Leonard Cohen 'Old Ideas'
9 Imperial Teen 'Feel the Sound'
10 Skrillex 'Bangarang'

1 Cloud Nothings 'Attack on Memory'
2 Cloud Nothings 'Attack on Memory'
3 Kathleen Edwards 'Voyageur'
4 The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'
5 The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'
6 Leonard Cohen 'Old Ideas'
7 Escort 'Escort'
8 Escort 'Escort'
9 Escort 'Escort'
10 Himanshu 'Nehru Jackets'

The Brunettes

'Structure and Cosmetics'

The Mark Lanegan Band 'Blues Funeral'

Of Montreal 'Paralytic Stalks'

Van Halen 'A Different Kind of Truth'