Following their 2016 full-length debut,
Stadium Cake, and subsequent world tour,
Oh Pep!'s Liv Hally spent some time taking writing sessions outside of the group. Alongside her own creations, some of those songwriting collaborations made their way onto
I Wasn't Only Thinking About You..., the duo's 2018 follow-up and debut for ATO Records. Filled with memorable, vibrant melodies, the album sounds, if anything, more focused and consistent, despite the presence of writing partners and its having been composed in such far-flung locales as Nashville, Melbourne, Los Angeles, and New York. Returning fans will also be glad to know that it retains the band's distinctly folk-inflected indie pop sound, including Hally and bandmate
Pepita Emmerichs' trademark vocal harmonies. The first track, "25," establishes all of the above, opening with bright strings, strummed acoustic guitar, and handclaps that soon fall away to expose the vocal line. The strings re-enter on the chorus' fortified, lilting melody. Elsewhere, "Truths" contrasts acoustic passages with anthemic choruses replete with churning electric guitar and full drums. Taking a different approach, the sparer, midtempo "Hurt Nobody" builds slowly with intermittent, improvised percussion, dissonant keyboards, and guitar-as-sound effect. (That song was co-written by
Doug Schadt, who's written for
Maggie Rogers and his own Man & Ghost project.) Across the varied arrangements, the songs are dependably lively but tempered with uneasy lyrics and a conspicuous wistfulness. These traits are subtle but effective, and without making any drastic changes,
I Wasn't Only Thinking About You... plays like an
Oh Pep! 2.0. ~ Marcy Donelson