Ex Cops

The debut album from NYC's Ex Cops ticks all the right boxes. They've got fuzzy guitars, plenty of boy/girl vocal harmonies and some dreamy songs that buzz along with just the right amount of urgency. Add to that the fact that it's released via the label of über-cool NYC record store Other Music and it would seem True Hallucinations can do no wrong. But it does. When everything aligns, True Hallucinations features some wonderfully catchy indie-pop that could give the Pains of Being Pure at Heart a serious run for their money — the first three songs make for a powerful opening salvo. Yet it's ambition that's their downfall — when they move away from their comfort zone, things aren't quite so successful, as demonstrated by the unfocussed "Nico Beast." This scattershot approach makes for an album that starts off promisingly but has a weak second half. There are still plenty of good moments, but there should have been a few more.