The name may bring
the Polyphonic Spree to mind, but when Norway’s
the Megaphonic Thrift started becoming popular in the States in 2010, critics consistently compared the group to
Sonic Youth. The similarities are hard to ignore. Both bands share a similar lineup -- a female bassist (Linn Frøkedal) singing next to a guy with a drowsy drawl playing choppy chords on his Fender Jaguar (
Richard Myklebust) while a second guitarist fans the fire with squalling dissonance, as a steady yet explosive drummer keeps it all in line. Even if ‘90s rock is an obvious touchstone, this take on the past style is done impeccably on
Decay Decoy, making it a solid debut, filled with songs that manage to blend disheveled indie rock grit with straightforward pop melodies. In fact,
the Megaphonic Thrift are so apt at filtering the best parts out of the glory days of noise pop, dream pop, and shoegaze that any beefs about originality will probably be drowned out by the album’s thrilling hooks. ~ Jason Lymangrover