San Cisco's ebullient fourth album, 2020's Between You and Me, showcases all of the sugary indie style that marked the Australian group's early work but with an added layer of mature pop sophistication. Produced by Steve Schram (who also helmed 2017's The Water) and Pond's James Ireland, the album again finds singer/guitarist/keyboardist Jordi Davieson, singer/drummer Scarlett Stevens, and singer/guitarist Josh Biondillo working as a trio following the departure of bassist Nick Gardner. There's a textured, organic quality to the band's sound this time out, and tracks like "Skin," "Alone," and "Shine," with their fuzzy analog keyboards and crisp guitars, bring to mind the dusky '70s vibe of bands like Fleetwood Mac and ELO. There's also a poetic intimacy to many of the songs that makes them feel lived in and tangible. In "Skin," Davieson sings, "Your skin on my skin is what's been missing/In my sweet dreams, you're the one that I'm kissing." It's a transformation that also recalls the '90s sound of Sweden's the Cardigans and one that speaks to San Cisco's deepening influences and growing sense of songcraft. Equally evocative is "When I Dream," a rollicking late-'60s folk-rock anthem that sounds pleasingly like a mix of Teenage Fanclub and the La's. As with the group's past work, San Cisco benefits here from the dual male-female vocals of Davieson and Stevens, whose bright harmonies help elevate already catchy tracks like "Reasons" and the ABBA-esque "On the Line." Stevens also grabs the spotlight on the ersatz disco-lounge jam "Messages," her cool, girl group croon framed by spiraling electric guitar leads and blue-sky synths. San Cisco's Between You and Me is full of honest, vulnerable emotion, but through it all there is a comfortable sense of self-assuredness. Above and beyond the songcraft, maybe it's that relaxed confidence that makes the album so charismatic.
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