Seapony - Falling (2012)

The release of Seapony's debut album Go with Me established the Seattle trio as proud torch bearers for both the fizzy pop sound of the post-C-86 generation and the noisy but hooky sound of the early-'90s American indie scene. Their second effort, 2012's Falling, adds more cement to their position and a fresh coat of paint, but otherwise follows the same template of super catchy indie pop songs bathed in reverb and lightly sprinkled with fuzz. The band self-produced the album, mixed it at Dub Narcotic, and captured a warm and rich feel that gives their sweetly simple songs a comforting lived-in feel. Once again, Jen Weidl's vocals are the main focus of the album, her light and bubbly style fitting perfectly with the melodies throughout and maybe sounding a little stronger and up in the mix. The guitars this time out are a little more layered and crisper, Weidl and Danny Rowland. Unlike the first album, where the band relied solely on an old drum machine that sounded on its last legs, they enlist real (or at least real-sounding) drums at times on Falling to give the songs some extra kick. (The old machine didn't crap out entirely and still makes an appearance or two.) These small adjustments mean that the record ends up just a touch more complex sounding than their debut, with an added amount of sophistication that really helps the songs sink in a bit deeper. The soft songs (like "Be Alone" or the girl group-friendly "Sunshine") have an extra amount of soft-focus sweetness, the louder songs (the rumbling "Tell Me So" and "Outside" to name two) have more depth and punch. In the middle are the kind of midtempo, jangling pop tunes that sound just right to anyone who grew up happy with Talulah Gosh, Velocity Girl, or Pains of Being Pure at Heart. The band sound super relaxed and sure of themselves throughout, never sacrificing their instantly catchy melodies for noise, or their lo-fi charm for an overly glossy studio sheen. Where Go with Me was way more of an adrenaline rush, Falling is the kind of record you want to curl up with on a long summer night. It's a small, but important, progression for the band that bodes well for their future, and more importantly, makes Falling near-perfect indie pop in the here and now.