The Love Language

The Love Language sounds like the Arcade Fire drank several bottles of bourbon and recorded an album on a shitty 4-track. This lo-fi pop brilliance is sure to be one of the first great records of 2009. The band's eight-piece lineup delivers fierce shows featuring great arrangements and tons of youthful energy. The songs lean heavy on '50s pop forms à la Ricky Nelson, and Stu McLamb is one of the best vocalists of his generation. The first single, "Lalita," is an undeniable charge, and the follow-up single, "Sparxxx," is Southern goth jangle at its finest.