Romantic Comedy

And you thought the last Pains of Being Pure At Heart record was poppy? New Jersey natives Big Troubles rep the classic Slumberland sound (cheery pop melodies, a healthy bit of fuzz and reverb, preferably in under three minutes) while simultaneously pushing the label's sound in a modern indie pop direction. The four-piece benefits from a pair of songwriters who know their way around their genre (Alex Craig, Ian Drennen) and a natural skill for combining wispy, lovelorn lyrics with, well, wispy, lovelorn melodies. Speaking of lovelorn lyrics, there's no shortage of twee emoting on this record (though "Minor Keys" might take the cake), though Big Troubles never let things get too out of hand. Their overall formula doesn't always work, though instantly likable tunes (like the single "Sad Girls" and strong closer "Never Mine") are enough to keep them on the noise-pop radar alongside labelmates like Gold-Bears and Brilliant Colors. Though their songwriting chops could use some honing (several of the choruses fall rather flat), there's reason to believe their songs could serve as the background to emotional climaxes of Michael Cera films in the immediate future.