Endless Now

About

“Tame the Sun” opens up the second album by Britain’s Male Bonding, sounding surprisingly — like various ‘90s indie bands run through a pop filter. But as <i>Endless Now</i> progresses, John Webb’s brighter guitar sound and the reverb sheen on his (and bass player Kevin Hendrick’s) vocals morph from a sweet froth on tracks like “Tame the Sun” and “Carrying” to a grittier foam topping off tunes like “Bones” and “What’s That Scene.” Fans of their debut can rest easy: any concerns of the trio going soft will be allayed as the listener makes their way through <i>Endless Now</i>. Male Bonding hasn’t softened so much as clarified: there is a purity of sound that allows their tunes resonate with more permanence. They cleanly layer ringing, melodic guitars with breakneck speeds and halcyon harmonies, and while there is not a surfeit of fuzz to be found, songs like “Mysteries Complete” have an astounding amount of stickiness while maintaining an aggressive, densely packed energy. <i>Endless Now</i> feels far from endless. On some plays, it’s just too short.

via Apple Music