THE BEATINGS – Late Season Kids

The Beatings have been beating out records for nearly a decade. That they haven’t achieved more notoriety is confounding considering the quality evidenced throughout their catalog. Late Season Kids displays all the hallmarks for indie-pop success: short, hook-filled mid-tempo rockers, sturdy lead vocals with ethereal female backups, and just the right amount of noisy guitars to keep it all interesting.

Their raucous moments recall vintage Superchunk, while much of the album evokes Pleased To Meet Me-era Replacements. One of the vocalists is a dead ringer for Arcade Fire’s Win Butler, as heard on “Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained” and “Youth Crimes.” On song after song, the band members display their collective strength as consummate songwriters. Each tune balances ingenuity with raw pop hooks. Their chemistry is as much responsible for the band’s success as the musicians’ individual contributions. The sum of their various parts is an engaging album, surely as likable as anything from indie rock’s marquee names.

(Midriff Records, 3 Adamson Street, 
Boston, MA 02134)