The Kingsbury Manx: Bronze Age (Odessa/Southbound)

Here is one/another of those indie bands which will perhaps only connect when they play a Laneway or some alt.festival.

This snappy, pop-conscious and throughly enjoyable North Carolina four-piece have been around for over a decade (I did not know that!) and this is their . . . wow, sixth album (and there was an EP too, I believe).

So after a few of these crafted, thoughtful and memorable songs you might be asking yourself where they have been all your life . . . especially if you have an affection for the diversity of the Beatles' Rubber Soul, the woozy and melodic sound of bands on the Pop Frenzy label, a touch of the Beach Boys' harmonies, songs with horns and choruses, lyrics which say something but leave space for interpretation, meticulously arranged pop (average song length four minutes, two pulling that average) and . . .

This far into their career -- and you feel a career here -- they are reflective but marry that to optimistic chord changes, have some personal history which informs their songs (How Things Are Done), aren't too proud to do some Simon and Garfunkel pop harmonies and . . .

True, they don't reinvent the well-worn tyres of pop/indie.rock (who does?) or even create some new alt-something, but after a few of these crafted, thoughtful and memorable songs you might be asking yourself . . .?

I was.

And you should listen to the posted track. Pop historians will spot-the-influence.

They are either that clever, or are still on a journey of discovery after all these years.

Either way . . . 

The clip below is of a song from their third album, but you'll get the picture. And there is a rather tedious camera-verite account of them recording this new album on You Tube which starts here (but frankly does them no favours. Avoid it.)