Cool It [LP]

Beginning with his 2000s indie group and then with his solo bedroom project-turned-collaborative band , singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist has been cultivating a finely tuned brand of sunny throwback indie pop. When fizzled out in 2014, decided to issue music under his given name, and though is a debut, it comes from a seasoned veteran years into sculpting a specific style of both songwriting and production. Among his other band projects, 's stellar guitar playing and engineering skills have earned him session work on a plethora of big-name records. Both of those skill sets are in full force on . Beginning with opening track "Let the Mountain Come to You," merges perfectly placed guitar harmonies and sparkly synth lines into dusty, understated production values that only threaten to lose control with a swell of live drum overdubs intentionally bubbling up near the end. Without directly referencing his idols of the past, weaves influences into his tunes deftly, from the -era -isms of "Don't Shoot the Messenger" to -y Leslie-treated guitar melodies and lazy -like harmonies on "Last Dream." There's just enough weirdness on the album to keep things interesting, too, with bursts of tape echo or unfriendly synthesizer tones showing up out of nowhere on tunes that were sounding like outtakes seconds before. These elements are all at play on "Kepler 62," a homespun tune that evokes the wandering, rough playing style of , as well as the storytelling songwriting of 's contemporary . The album strolls by in a warm amble, with unexpected but subtle production moves bolstering 's thoughtfully constructed but still easy-going tunes. ~ Fred Thomas