Alvvays
Alvvays
Buoyed by the effortlessly cool and deadpan delivery of lead singer Molly Rankin, it's hard to hear any trace of the folk-pop stylings from her initial solo forays on the band's first-ever LP. Instead, sun-soaked synths and glassy guitars crash and surge against one another, coalescing in pools of reverb (the forlorn "Next of Kin") and shoegaze-laced spray ("The Agency Group") to create the perfect summertime cocktail.
Nearly three years removed from his Two Hours Traffic departure, lead-guitarist Alec O'Hanley's fretwork sounds as masterful as ever, with even the most simple of riffs on tracks like lead-single "Archie, Marry Me" and "Ones Who Love You" floating to the surface thanks to producer Chad VanGaalen's ear for lo-fi scorchers.
If there's one complaint to be made about Alvvays, it's that it seems a bit too short. But, like all good summertime experiences, Alvvays' debut feels like a warm and fuzzy memory, forging a deeper sense of nostalgia with each repeat visit.
Read our recent cover story on Alvvays here.