Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

Hope Downs

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

made a name for themselves across the Pacific from their hometown of Melbourne last year, upon the release of their second EP, The French Press, via Sub Pop. Now, five years since their formation, the group have released Hope Downs, a breezy full-length that solidifies their driving indie rock. Named after the Hope Downs mine in Western Australia, the record roots the band in their home country, its music jangly and unsurprisingly evocative of warm climates. The band’s three dual vocalist-guitarists add texture to their songs, delivering clever melodic lines along with their strong rhythm section. RBCF are steady in their delivery of well-crafted pop and taut bass lines, and relentless guitars are a near constant. Further range in tempo would be appreciated, but there’s still an inherently engaging factor to the band’s music. “Cappuccino City” recalls ’80s British guitar pop in its verses, slowly building in further winding guitar lines atop a constant, anticipatory rhythm. Hope Downs is the sound of RBCF’s expansive horizons. (Sub Pop) unpretentious honesty. Jordan is a student of the game (literally — the legendary Mary Timony of Helium fame was her guitar teacher), and it shows on Lush. The record ticks off the checkboxes of indie rock record construction, but it’s anything but by-the-numbers. It uses the genre’s unspoken conventions as a launching pad for her raw, honest performances. Whether delivering uptempo indie rock on “Heat Wave” and “Golden Dream” or slow-burning meditations like “Stick” and “Deep Sea,” Snail Mail never fail to dole out another great riff or hook, and the meticulously arranged tracks keep momentum moving from start to finish. As a songwriter, Jordan doesn’t hide behind obfuscating imagery — it’s all raw and real. Lush is unencumbered and honest, putting emotional pitfalls on full, nuanced display while remaining streamlined and filler-free. (Matador, matadorrecords.com)