Sharp Pins They are the new Kai Slater project, the most restless ass of the indie scene of the city of Chicago in which bands such as Horsegirl, Geek or Lifeguard are located, a band in which the Slater guitar also touches. Of course, with this “Radio DDR” That appeared last year, but this 2025 has been reissued with new songs, we should place them at the head of the movement thanks to a work full of songs as catchy as rewarding that is halfway between Guided by Voices, the Pop Jangle and the Power Pop, as if they were a kind of Lemon Twigs Lo-Fi.
“Every time I Hear” Open the album in style, high voltage pop jangle and a slight psychedelic love. In “Lorelai” They simply enjoy repeating the name of the girl they like, it is pure pop of guitars and melodies, with a point in the first Beatles and another in the College Rock of the 80s and bands like Game Theory, it is recorded on fire in your memory to the first listening. “You Don’t Live Here Anymore” It is another wonder that begins with an acoustics and is growing from there with another simply perfect melody. The initial Aces poker closes with “If I Ever Was Lonely”, Paradise for any fan of dyeing guitars and bubbling melodies, ultimately to the pop jangle.
Of course there are much more on the album, in “Sycophant” Slater makes it clear that Elliott Smith remains the greatest reference for the new niche of indies bands. In “You Have A Way” His fascination with the sounds of the 60s is clear, he could go through a lost jewel from the time of Gene Clark in the Byrds. Just then they are loud and a lot of distortion for another sunny melody, this time they could be that kind of reincarnation of alternative byrds that were Teenage Fanclub.
Among the new songs that have appeared in this year’s version stands out the wonderA “Storm Lee”that could go out in one of those power pop compilations called “Yellow Pills” o “I Can’t Stop”, The most lo-fi of the lot. The best thing that can be said about them is that they do not disappear on a album full of great and addictive songs.
I could resort to that so manido to listen to them before the world discovers them and become famous, but it is evident that that will not happen, the world has once been (if it has ever done it) does not want to know anything about an indie rock band Lo fix that Power Pop does with a jangle touch. Of course, if you are among those people to whom the previous ones (although reductionists) labels do not sound like Chinese, then this album is made for you. Lover of the Beatles, the Byrds, Big Star, the first REM, Teenage Fanclub, Elliott Smith, The Bands of Elephant 6, Guided by Voices or Alvvays, here is a new album that falls in love.
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