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
