Is the sounds-like list the laziest form of music criticism there is? Well, I'm 473 wholly unpaid reviews in, after under 2 years, so I gotta cut a corner here and there. Plus, in my own normally-more-humble opinion, its actually something I'm pretty good at.
In this case we've actually got a pretty nice blend of 90's band sounds, all wracked with rough edges and tension. Contrast this with the Mr. Dream album, which trucked in sludgy, generally much more easily mimicked 90's underground sounds. Here its all Pavement, Built to Spill, with little catchy Beulah highs and Grandaddy lows. I mean, knock me for the sounds-like game if you must, but listen to Landlocked State and tell me that doesn't sound exactly like Pavement meets Beulah*. You can't.
Unlike the just-reviewed Clap though, TCK make something from their sounds, pulling deeper and richer than Pavement did, and wracking itself with more angularism, noise and general agony than any of the other bands it resembles. Plus, whatever Volvo to a Kiss is, I like it - blissful chuggy fun. Full of lo-fi charm, hooks and surprises, it overcomes some sluggish pacing and morose tones to bring a smile to this old man's face 4/5
You might like this if: you like slightly noisy, heartfelt, ragged Pavement-style 90's rock. What is that the 4th time I made the comparison? Not a bad pedigree.
* And hey Landlocked State sounding like bands who famously discussed Handsome Western / Two states? Coincidence? Reaching?
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