Duraluxe

Duraluxe's Chris Colbert should never leave his day job, whether it's manning his California psych-fuzz pop band or producing efforts by well-known indie bands such as Elf Power, Mineral and Summer Hymns. For his band's debut album, Colbert made sure to add a little bit of California sunshine and warm spirit into the formula to make it something special. The Suitcase is a delightful record of over-the-top fuzzed guitars, shimmering traces of psychedelic experimentation and brotherly vocals. Like Grandaddy without the complexities, or the Lassie Foundation (with whom Duraluxe released a split album with last year) without the obvious shoegazing obsession, The Suitcase contains a clear pop sensibility with a glowing blast of cosmic sound added for good measure. Songs like "All Together Now," a throwback to peace and love, and "Helium Hand Of Power," a tune drenched in Curtis Mayfield's sweat, couldn't seem any more different, yet the pure thoughtfulness of both makes the record more than just a noisy piece of glimmering pop music.