In what might be a sign of the (depressing) times, cheery, simple, neo-sixties pop has been making a big comeback – just look at the success of (just broke up) Girls (QRO live review). Actually female-led garage groups like Dum Dum Girls (QRO live review) and Best Coast (QRO live review) have been going girl-group in their style. Hell, one doesn’t even need the ‘neo’ – The Beach Boys have a new album out! The music often isn’t particularly inspired or revelatory, but always enjoyable. So if you’re gonna go for some cheery sounds, why not a band that’s been doing it for more years than today’s johnny-come-latelys (albeit not as long as The Beach Boys…), The Spinto Band, with Shy Pursuit.
Back when Brooklyn was just (re)discovering garage & Los Angeles was just (re)discovering the sounds of the sun, Delaware’s Spinto Band were putting out record after record, achieving some breakthrough in 2005 with “Oh Mandy” (thanks to it being used in a Sears ad) off of Nice and Nicely Done. 2008’s follow-up Moonwink (QRO review) wasn’t as impressive, but still enjoyable, and Pursuit continues that, though with lower expectations going in, making for a nicer record. From opener “Cookie Falls” to closer “The Living Things”, Shy Pursuit is a cheery record by a cheery band that rarely tries to do more than that. “Living” actually has hints of the more accomplished Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (QRO live review) – if also in more nasal vocals like CYHSY’s Alec Ounsworth (QRO album review) – and there’s Spanish tropicalia on “Muesli”, but really only “Keep Them Alive” stands out, thanks to its ‘smiling dark’ lyrics, cheerfully singing about loading a gun.
Today’s sunny sounds are far from exceptional or inspired, but are nearly always enjoyable. And if that’s what you’re looking for, why not head to Delaware for The Spinto Band’s Shy Pursuit?
MP3 Stream: “Keep Them Alive“
