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Album reviews Music

Tanlines

If you’re looking for a cheerful addition to your summer indie rock playlists, Tanlines’ second album fits the bill. 

Recorded by Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor – his fingerprint audible throughout – it starts off strong, bouncing and glistening with dance-floor-ready fare, singer/guitarist Eric Emm’s low vocals the anchor and Jesse Cohen fleshing out the electronic foundation with pleasant if innocuous soundscapes. 

The New York City-based duo, which began as a remix project in 2008, spread variety across the 10 songs, getting darker and more seductive on Two Thousand Miles, just after bringing Yeasayer to mind on Palace. If You Stay, near the end, gives a glimpse of Emm’s more melodic singing capabilities.

But there’s nothing especially memorable on offer, and a lyrical artlessness becomes obvious as the album continues. By the end, the one thing I remember is that the narrator of opening song Pieces falls to pieces the moment his lover is out of his sight, the one and only sentiment he expresses over the four minutes. 

Top track: If You Stay

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