Lights Out
, the studio debut from dreamy boy-girl indie pop duo
Big Deal
, feels far more muscular than its simple two guitar (electric and acoustic) foundation would suggest. Dewey-eyed, nostalgic, and bristling with teenage heartache,
Kacey Underwood
and
Alice Costelloe
have crafted a breezy set of late summer dream pop hymns that should please fans of fellow stargazers like
Tennis
,
Cults
, and
Summer Camp
. Unison vocals and simplistic melodies aside,
somehow manages to transcend its minimalist trappings. There's little in the way of filler, and stand-out cuts like "Chair," "Talk," and "Cool Like Kurt" straddle the thin line between angst and detachment without ever resorting to hipster fatalism. Adhering to such a limited arsenal can sometimes feel like the material was cut with a full band, then mixed down to just guitars and vocals, but
Underwood
Costelloe
manage to fill in the empty spaces with sheer charm. ~ James Christopher Monger