Los Campesinos! - Hold on Now, Youngsters...

This band was introduced to me by a friend cautiously claiming, "these guys are like pitchfork's favorite band right now but they're actually pretty good." my brain ran through the good list (arcade fire, lcd soundsystem) and the bad list (wolf parade, their commentary on Travis Morrison and Asian man records) and eventually mulled over the sad fact that critics from high profile publications immediately skew your perspective on a band before you listen to them. Well shit.

My one complaint about Los campesinos is that the songs have a tough time standing apart from each other.

Everything else about this record was a very welcome pleasant surprise. It kicks off with a full force assault of bells, violins, Pavement-esque guitar leads and really ridiculous British accents. The new punk underground would love this record if they ever give it a chance: it sounds a bit faster than they can play and sing, and the volumes range from loud to explosive to obnoxious and the catchy hooks are words like "we have to take the car because the bike is on fire" and "its you, its me, and there's dancing."

While this band owes a tad of debt to the first rentals record, they've taken those ideas (and for the most part, the instrumentation) made them twice as fast and quite a bit more complicated. What I mean by this is that they have clearly taken specific steps to make even the quiet moments of this record so much fun that it is hard to listen to without smiling. Even the slower song, "Knee Deep at ATP" builds up with the ridiculous "Every photo that you took that festival got lost in your camera in an insurance scam / And though underexposed, i could see from the quality, his K Records t-shirt and you holding his hand"

Its that fun that they pull off so flawlessly that make the goofy emo-style lyrics endearing, the overbearing accents charming and the songs breathe life that bands who have gone for this instrumental arrangement don't ever achieve. I mean, shit, they sound like they really enjoyed making this record and they are always letting you know in every song. Upon hearing this record I was super excited that a band was finally doin this overarranged punk thing very well and pretty jealous that I didn't make this record, as they've kinds articulated my schizophrenic tastes better than I've ever known how.

So I guess this is the best record of the year right now. If your friend with the handlebar moustache and beruit t shirt recommends this, you'll finally have a common bond.

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