BOYFRNDZ- ‘Impulse’
There’s always been a pop group inside Boyfrndz, battling to get free. On the Texas quartet’s third album, it’s closer to the surface than ever. ‘Ghosted’ turns up making a ton of noise but settles into a grungy, melodic groove that will tap on the back of your brain for days, ‘High and Tight’ is The Mars Volta covering The Beach Boys, and while ‘Hiatus’ takes a while to fire up, it finishes as a hazy, shimmering anthem. None of this is to say the band’s psychedelic and experimental tendencies have disappeared. Boyfrndz still value atmosphere, invention, aggression and volume (play this record loud). It’s just that they’ve found a way to streamline their creativity so it hits your heart as hard as possible. This could be the soundtrack to your summer.