The Sour Notes

Rounding into the decade mark, the Sour Notes are now veterans of the local indie scene, and fifth LP Darkest Sour highlights both the trio's tightness and range. "Clock Strikes Twelve" chimes familiar at the outset, driving guitar into the poppier bounce of "Today, I'll Buy No Sorrow." The band grooves best on straight-ahead power-pop such as "Stay Close," frontman Jared Boulanger's vocals playing off Yola Blake's as "Loose Leaf and Bleak" torques more psych and "Small Hints" floats in dreamy shoegaze. Nineties Britpop throbs throughout, especially on closers "Soft Applause" and "Ride It Out." The Sour Notes become increasingly complex and honed on each successive outing, and Darkest Sour continues the trajectory forward.