Generationals' third studio album, 2013's
Heza, picks up right where the group's 2009 album, Actor-Caster, left off. Recorded in Austin, Washington, D.C., as well as the group's hometown of New Orleans,
Heza features more of the band's '80s-influenced style, with songs that walk the line between experimental indie rock and retro new wave pop. Which isn't to say that
Generationals have made an anachronistic homage. On the contrary, the duo of ex-
Eames Era members singer/guitarists
Grant Widmer and
Ted Joyner have a knack for making catchy, immediately infectious music that stands on its own, even as it references a wide variety of influences. In that sense,
Heza balances
Generationals' more guitar-oriented,
Velvet Underground-influenced rock sound with a sublime keyboard and electronic vibe. Tracks like "Extra Free Year," "Put a Light On," and "Say When" have a laid-back quality and a vinyl LP production warmth that combine the handclap-inducing, neon-colored sound of
Tom Tom Club with the dreamy Afro-pop of
Vampire Weekend. Ultimately,
Heza is a nuanced work that flirts with the experimental, but always remains intimate, atmospheric, and endlessly listenable. ~ Matt Collar