The true magic of Parcels is their obsession of seemingly endless repetition that still finds a way to surprise you in the midst of its relative monotony. The candy-coated pop hooks that loop endlessly for three and a half minutes, stacked with instrumental and vocal accoutrement that enhance the flavor of the song with each successive measure, feels like a never-ending ice cream sundae bar whose ingredients stretch as far as the eye can see. This is a band who sounds like if The Strokes got hooked on Steely Dan, overdosed on late 70’s soft rock chord progressions, forced Julian Casablancas to record his vocals in a room next to a sleeping newborn that required him to use a whispered falsetto, and dropped the smoothest pop rock producer with a healthy love for Canadian R&B singer Rhye into the producer’s chair.
The result is a meticulously crafted but effortlessly cool indie dance pop rock record that would serve as excellent mood music if the only mood you needed it for was one that put a giant dumb smile on your face spread from ear to ear.
Standout Songs: “Lightenup”, “Withorwithout”, “Exotica”, “Tieduprightnow”
Matthew. 