With their punch-heavy, straight-outta-the-garage power-pop, Chantal and Kathleen Ambridge aren't flipping the musical script, but damn are they doing what they do right. Side A gets in and out so quickly and furiously that by the end, with almost no lag time, you're left wondering what happened instead of waiting for the next tune to start.
The duo make '60s-inspired garage- and surf-rock, filtered through '90s indie-pop, music with simple standards. Is it catchy? Does it sound cool? The tunes here answer with a resounding "yes"; the sisters Ambridge have used some serious elbow grease here.
The sugary "I'm In Love" blasts by in a flash of staccato guitar and yell-along choruses driven by no-frills drum bashing. "Pearl and Oyster" is, far and away, the standout track on the album, and maybe a candidate for one of the catchiest songs of 2015, featuring swirling organ riffs and a hook that builds so relentlessly that the song's abrupt end feels like a mercy killing. The sleepy "Like a Wave" adds a bit of dynamic, but without making a real impression, it lasts a bit too long. The band right the ship, though, with the vicious, thrashy cheer of "Honey Let Go."
(Costume)The duo make '60s-inspired garage- and surf-rock, filtered through '90s indie-pop, music with simple standards. Is it catchy? Does it sound cool? The tunes here answer with a resounding "yes"; the sisters Ambridge have used some serious elbow grease here.
The sugary "I'm In Love" blasts by in a flash of staccato guitar and yell-along choruses driven by no-frills drum bashing. "Pearl and Oyster" is, far and away, the standout track on the album, and maybe a candidate for one of the catchiest songs of 2015, featuring swirling organ riffs and a hook that builds so relentlessly that the song's abrupt end feels like a mercy killing. The sleepy "Like a Wave" adds a bit of dynamic, but without making a real impression, it lasts a bit too long. The band right the ship, though, with the vicious, thrashy cheer of "Honey Let Go."