Carnavas
, the debut full-length from L.A.'s
Silversun Pickups
, is the sort of record that brings something new to discover with each listen. Thus, listen one is as enjoyable as listen five or ten, but probably for entirely different reasons, since unique bits continuously appear from the band's dream haze of accessibly textured
indie rock
. From the grainy opening of
"Melatonin"
that blends into strikingly harmonized male/female vocals, the quartet immediately showcases their innate sense of melody amid textured atmospherics and layers of distortion and fuzz, which all come across as both bittersweet and enchanting.
take the shimmering
dream pop
of
My Bloody Valentine
and filter it through '90s
grunge
instincts like that of
the Smashing Pumpkins
-- and it all combines to produce an album that, well, is really freaking good. Vocals are both haunting and sweet, as lead singer
Brian Aubert
somehow manages to sound like a cross between
the Goo Goo Dolls
'
Robby Takac
and
the Get Up Kids
Matt Pryor
-- in a good way. And for every moment of ominous intensity, the band further manipulates their ethereal antics into moments of pure shimmering redemption.
"Future Foe Scenarios"
is urgent in a completely controlled way that makes the vocals come off even fiercer over the song's driving distortion, while exhilarating and spacious cuts like
"Lazy Eye"
"Common Reactor"
materialize out of clouds of hazy guitars and pensive keyboard with dynamic force that never loses its direction. Though an extremely rewarding listen, proceed with caution: once put into a stereo,
may become stuck inside for quite a while. ~ Corey Apar