Crystal Stilts

Radiant Door

BY Stephen CarlickPublished Nov 15, 2011

Brooklyn, NY lo-fi troupe Crystal Stilts might dabble in the lower registers of fidelity, but that's never obscured their abilities as songwriters. Therefore, it's no surprise that Radiant Door, despite being the band's most high-quality recording to date, is hardly short on ideas. Opening track "Dark Eyes" strikes a balance between mesmerizing and dynamic, the jangle of synths and guitars punctuated by singer Brad Hargett's baritone croon. The up-tempo, melodic hum of the title track is equally compelling, conjuring Echo and the Bunnymen without sounding derivative, and the rest of the five tracks follow suit. After the success of sophomore LP In Love with Oblivion earlier this year, the burning noir-pop of Radiant Door acts as the perfect nightcap for a band whose romantic sound should, given the proper timing, catch the ears of the larger audience they deserve.
(Sacred Bones)

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