Comet Gain

Despite crafting scrappy, clever twee punk for nearly two decades, Comet Gain have failed to rise high above cult band status. It makes the title of the British troupe's latest an apt one; Howl of the Lonely Crowd speaks not only to Comet Gain's fandom as a whole, but the sad-sack set this record is geared towards. Filled with vivid tales of weekend dreams, majestic junkies and memory aches, the album sticks to David Feck and company's familiar fuzzed-out blend of indie pop, Northern soul and '90s-styled riot grrrl. And despite having Orange Juice hero Edwyn Collins serving as much of the album's producer, it isn't a big departure from recent offerings like 2009's stellar Broken Record Prayers comp and their last studio full-length, 2005's City Fallen Leaves. But at this point in Comet Gain's career, there's no point ripping it up and starting again, especially when the group can still churn out killer pop stompers like "An Arcade from the Warm Rain That Falls" and tear-inducing confessions like "A Memorial for Nobody I Know." Despite the superficial sheen that's come with a many a modern indie pop group, Comet Gain have been, and continue to be, a band that reek of honesty, reminding us over and over that music saves – commercial success not required.