Four years after releasing their low-key, self-titled 2011 debut, Portland, Oregon duo
Priory deliver
Need to Know, an effervescent cauldron of optimistic left-field pop. Initially a somewhat straightforward, folk-flavored indie outfit blending fingerpicked guitars with gentle synths, Brandon Rush and Kyle Sears took a step back, readjusting their vision and recasting themselves as champions of radio-ready TGIF anthems in the mold of bands like
Neon Trees and
Fun. The result of this pop makeover was a deal with Warner Bros., who built a campaign around their first single, "Weekend," in the summer of 2014. A chilled-out summertime party jam with a big singalong chorus, "Weekend" is the centerpiece of
Priory's major-label debut and its good-time sentiment is essentially the central theme of the album. Using their pop acumen, Rush and Sears have crafted a mix of danceable pop and low-key fun with an inclusive vibe. ~ Timothy Monger