A lot of the charm of
Part Time's recordings is the lo-fi, slightly wobbly sound they cultivated over a short span when they released lots and lots of records. Anyone wondering what would happen if the band spent some time in a real studio crafting a record that makes the leap to mid-fi should give 2018's
Spell #6 a try. David Loca and his band spent a decent amount of time on the sound of the album as they reworked old Loca demos into fresh new songs, composed songs on the spot, and generally upped their game all around. Most of the elements that made
Part Time fun haven't really changed -- the sickly '80s sounds predominate, there are songs that sound like they should be on the soundtrack of a John Hughes knock-off, and Loca still sings like an off-brand crooner looking to move up a notch. What's changed is that the sound of the album is bigger and cleaner, which really allows the plentiful hooks to shine. Whether trying their hand at
Cars-lite rockers like "Before You Fell Apart," squirmy power pop ("The Boys That Make Her Cry"), sophisticated synth pop ("Higher Fantasy"), or slightly goofy new wave ("Shattered Love"), Loca and the band make everything sound good. Where they shine the brightest is on the muted ballads, the combination of the languorous synths, relaxed tempos, bubbling basslines and Loca's heartfelt yet still oddly detached vocals come together to form a nice soft rock/new wave hybrid. The best of these tracks are "I Can Treat You Better," a very hooky pop song featuring
Ariel Pink, and the quietly tender "It's Alright with Me," where they sound like a low rent
Prefab Sprout. The band took a risk with
Spell #6, hoping that the extra layer of studio gloss would improve their sound, not capsize it. Their gamble paid off handsomely and the record is their most immediately likeable and consistently hooky record so far. ~ Tim Sendra