The third EP by Los Angeles'
Wallows, 2020's
Remote finds the indie rock outfit further expanding their quirky, highly inventive sound. The set follows their full-length debut, 2019's
Nothing Happens, and again features the trio's distinctive, kinetic arrangements and hooky, lyrical choruses. The band recorded the EP while quarantining apart from each other due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sending voice memos and using video conferencing to collaborate on tracks. Working with them were producers Sachi DiSerafino and John DeBold, who helped build the EP's vibrant mix of chiming guitars, buzzy synths, clinky piano, and buoyant bass and drum rhythms. Cuts like the "Virtual Aerobics," "Dig What You Dug," and "Talk Like That" are upbeat-sounding anthems, underpinned by a sense of art school melancholy. It's a sound that pleasingly brings to mind contemporary bands like
the Shins and
the Strokes, while also evoking the influence of classic groups like
the Kinks and
Talking Heads. ~ Matt Collar