Lindsey Radice has made a record that's unassuming and modest and which contains some of the best lo-fi power-pop you're going to hear in 2020. The cuts here are simple and easy to enjoy, and yet they're similar enough to things we've heard before from Young Guv, for example, to make a listener such as myself very, very happy. In that sense, #37, out as of yesterday, is a real treat, and one of this week's best offerings.
"You" has a lopsided charm, such that the song feels almost unfinished, while "Funny Boy" is sweetness delivered in a silly, breathy way by Radice. At her best, like on the bouncy and propulsive "Personality", the music crackles with indie energy. The cut reminds me of recent numbers from Dehd, but Lindsey Radice isn't as interested in material as complicated. This one and the chiming "Sugarcoat" are droll rockers, equal parts Malkmus and Lahey. Still, for all that feels rough here, the hooks are sharp and lyrics wryly observed. And when Radice lets her guard down a bit, like on the lovely "Starry Eyed", the resulting product has more real warmth than that of many of the singer-songwriters who've been offering up records the last two years. And I say that because there's more inventiveness here, even in the simple moments, than on lots else I've heard this year. There's nothing here that's not easy to love, you know?
#37 is out now.
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[Photo: Michael Todaro]