The Unlikely Friends are headed up by
D. Crane of indie rock goofballs
BOAT and
Charles Bert of indie pop sweethearts
Math & Physics Club. Their first album, 2015's
Solid Gold Cowboys, was a loose and fun set of classic '90s indie rock with sneaky hooks, drawling vocals, and lots of energy, with the overall sound tipped heavily in the direction of
BOAT's sonic approach. By the time they recorded their second album, 2018's
Crooked Numbers, the band's lineup expanded and their sound got bigger and better. Instead of a lark among unlikely friends, this time it sounds like they are doing it for real, and the record is much more fun and powerful thanks to this switch. They still sound like a lost '90s band that would be a perfect opener for
Superchunk, but now they sound like they'd give the headliners some serious competition. Tracks like "All the Cameras in Japan" and "King of the Last Calls" are power pop gems that balance both elements perfectly, "Hey Sunshine" and "Smiles for Miles" are jangling indie pop treats, the brief
GBV-sounding tracks ("Kool Aid Smell," "Solicitors") are fun, and the rest of the album is filled with hooky, good-natured indie rock.
Crane and
Bert blend their very different vocal styles nicely throughout, the songs are witty and bright, and the band play like the seasoned vets of the Northwest scene that they are.
Crooked Numbers isn't going to set the world on fire, but the nostalgic glow it gives off will surely be enough the warm the hearts of anyone looking for some good old-fashioned guitar-based indie rock to keep them company in their dotage.