There are two distinct to this Brooklyn-based band’s fifth album, with a dividing line drawn by “We Need A Word”— where you hear not only the merging of the album’s two halves but instruments ringing out in an air of culmination. Of the four songs comprising the front end of Helter Seltzer—guitarist/vocalist Keith Murray and bassist Chris Cain’s tag for the genre they supposedly created from the ground up, just by existing—“In My Head” and “Too Late” exemplify grandiose prog-pop along the lines of Maxïmo Park, Bloc Party and even those moments Radiohead is able to extract heads from posteriors.
The songs are light, lush and breezy but still layered, busy and complex enough so that the result is ’70s sophistication locking horns with unforgettable ’80s melodies. Award-winning choruses are the order of the day on “Buckle” and “Hold On,” songs that should commence as much furious beard-stroking as blood flow to the sensitive regions of those responsible for selecting beer-commercial music. After the mid-album closeout of “We Need A Word”, the tone becomes fuzzier, literally, as “Classic Love” and “Headlight” assume a hazier, almost garage-y feel with grunge-lite guitars driving the point home. The sound, style and mood shift might escape less pedantic and critical ears, but regardless of the direction—and yes, this obviously makes for an excellent a-side/b-side vinyl distinction—Helter Seltzer offers a master class in grandiose indie-pop and how to maximize the potential of the simplest of sounds.
—Kevin Stewart-Panko
