The Dark in Bloomington, MN

During the latter half of the 2010s,
the Band Camino
rode a series of punchy alt-pop singles to a major-label deal with
Elektra
. They released a 2019 EP, then slimmed down to a lean trio for their eponymous debut album in 2021. Two years on, the Memphis-bred group continues their journey on follow-up album,
The Dark
. Working again with longtime producer
Jordan Schmidt
, co-frontmen
Jeffrey Jordan
and
Spencer Stewart
, along with drummer
Garrison Burgess
, have crafted a slightly edgier version of their signature sound. They are still very much in the mode of mid-aughts forebears like
the Killers
Kings of Leon
-- two acknowledged influences -- with a bit of
Walk the Moon
sweetness thrown in for buoyancy. Whether it's the streamlined guitar rock of "Told You So" or the shiny soulfulness of "See You Later," the
Band Camino
have a knack for radio-ready pop/rock with hooky choruses. The four singles they released in advance of
-- which also include "What Am I Missing?" and the rousing "Last Man in the World" -- give a pretty good overview of the album as a whole. It is immaculately produced, earnest alt-pop that offers few surprises. ~ Timothy Monger