Irving

This sophomore release by L.A. quintet Irving seems to have all the trappings of an indie rock success. DITGBOTF borrows swatches from ’60s British invasion staples and ’80s synth poppers à la the Cure and weaves them into sly, catchy sing-alongs. They’ve even managed to recruit hotshot producer Phil Ek (the Shins, Modest Mouse, Built to Spill) to man the boards. Still, there’s something elusively unsatisfying about this record’s immediately gratifying melodies. You could point to the sometimes awkward "woe is me” lyricism, as evidenced by the cringe-worthy "Jen, Nothing Matters to Me.” Or perhaps it is just that this album — which comes across as a thinly veiled homage to Britpop as interpreted by an Elephant 6 outfit — seems to be been born of a process that has been executed numerous times before in more compelling ways. Mildly intoxicating though it may be, DITGBOTF ultimately doesn’t amount to anything more than a visceral buzz.