Fake Ideas

A staple of the Lame-O Records roster, Hurry has turned out a consistent flow of scuffed-up, 90s-inspired jangle pop since their formation in 2012. What began as the solo project of Philadelphia musician Matt Scottoline coalesced into a wistful power pop combo whose fourth album, Fake Ideas, is their most melodic yet. A collection of sweet love songs haloed in a gentle fug of anxiety, the album spills over with the kind of summer melancholia and yearning that could come across as too earnest if it werent so damned pleasant to listen to. Theres nothing flashy about Hurrys brand of sighing, midtempo guitar pop which occasionally legs it into a noisy half-sprint, but that down-to-earth vibe is a big part of their appeal. To borrow a couple of baseball expressions, theyre not swinging for the fences here, but stringing together enough solid base hits to win the game. Standouts like A Fake Idea and Slogging Through Summer ring with warm harmonies and an easy, chugging fuzz-pop power that makes you want to simply flip the record and play it again. ~ Timothy Monger