Citizen Smile CD Release - Saturday - Crofoot

This Detroit-area quartet graft a sleek sunny pop sound atop a big booming rock oomph -
Mellifluous lead vocals shift from a quirky-charmed sing-speak to a soaring anthemic call alongside, lead guitars dance and entrance with instantaneous hooks, while a subtly intricate wavy bass line slaloms beside tight pounding drums, all in all bringing more of a more glowing pop/punk hurrah vibe to the old indie-ethos of quiet-loud-quiet song structures (see: "How See Disappears.")



Certainly they draw from indie rock, but there's nothing lo-fi about this sound. It feels they're meticulous in effectively crafting both the -quiet- and the -loud- aspects of each of their pop ballads (see the jolting, keyed-up vigor of those firestorm guitars of "Dead In My Tracks" only get pulled back for the endearing serenade of the vocals setting the scene atop quieter, breath-catching instrumentation) - and then of course it all gose out the window, the guitar solos, the drums explode and we build it all up to a closing crescendo.


Plus, they make sure to match the dynamism of their arrangements when they bring 'em out live.

















So give it a chance - Saturday - at the Crofoot - when they release their 4th proper recording, Keepsakes - paired with The Ashleys, Patrick Davy & the Ghosts and the Handgrenades


Citizen Smile