Celebrity

Spacy, atmospheric, lush guitars like some of the Cure’s later work are the life force of this release from Nashville’s Celebrity. Layers of dream pop effects-laden strumming blanket each song, making the disc play out with all the strength of an unbeatable pop record, but it is so much more than just a pop record. A heavy dose of shoegazer puts a dynamic spin on the classic pop sound. The melodies linger and wrap themselves around you, and the harmonies bring to mind XTC — in fact the ’80s pop influence is very present here. Lance Black’s soothing vox completes the whole package making this a not-to-be-missed debut release of 2003.