Record Label: Contraphonic Records
Genre: Lo-Fi Indie
Band Link: link
Buy on Amazon.com link

Not to get all hyphenated on you, but Branches are interesting in that they’re somehow both prog-indie and lo-fi-indie-pop. Like some trick of physics, they cram denseness into a light and airy structure.

The key here is songwriting. They’ve conceived a way to have an intricate and prog structure in which they execute a sparse minimalism. And that’s all wrapped in a warm, autumnal blanket of indie-pop.

Even so, I hardly popped a boner. The vocals, which at first reminded me of Geddy Lee on tranquilizers, become slightly irritating. Branches also resorts to what’s becoming a vomitorious indie cliche – glockenspiel. And finally, the songs never outstay their welcome, but neither are they memorable.

This is a good album to have on the background as you reflect on autumn’s gentle glide into winter. But it’s totally not gonna pop a boner.

Bottom Line: Cute indie pop with a minimalist yet crisp feel.
Notable Tracks: Loaded Guns – it’s the most droning, but also the most rewarding.
Overall Rating: