My Soul Unburdened: A Brief Review Of The New Album From The Reds, Pinks & Purples On Slumberland Records

Glenn Donaldson is now moving into territory that is uniquely his own. Of course, the sound of his band, The Reds, Pinks & Purples, fits with the overall vibe of groups on the Slumberland Records label, but Donaldson's intent on taking stylistic chances that are maybe different than the ones taken by others on the imprint. Summer at Land's End, the new album, reveals additional shades of meaning in Donaldson's music, more intense flavors, and complexities that the whole jangle-pop form is sometimes lacking.

"Don't Come Home Too Soon" and "Let's Pretend We're Not in Love" are textbook examples of how to do literate chamber pop in 2022, but "New Light" goes further back, to pioneers Felt, for a mood that's deep in debt to most of Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty. Elsewhere, "My Soul Unburdened" is heartfelt and earnest, hints of Nick Drake all over this, while the elegant title track, an instrumental, stuns with how it seems to unwind the jangle-pop and de-construct it with precision and purpose.

Glenn Donaldson navigates between the need to create a hook and the desire to meander around it. Things like "Tell Me What's Real" will feel familiar to anyone who's owned a Belle & Sebastian album, for example, but the flashes of feedback amid the guitar licks signals a furtive restlessness in Donaldson's approach. This is the sound of jangle-pop being refined, with expectations tweaked and up-ended. That Donaldson takes musical chances amid some of the smartest indie I've heard in ages is even more impressive. Nothing feels wasted here, nothing a mis-step. Glenn's hand as singer, performer, and writer is sure and Summer at Land's End is undoubtedly one of the 10 best records of 2022 and it's only February.

Summer at Land's End is out on Friday via Slumberland Records.