Head Of Femur

Great Plains

[3/5]

Great Plains kicks right in with "Whirlaway," a tiny, perfect little song that plays like a secret mash-up of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and the Beatles’ Revolver straight out of ‘66. The rest of the album is strong, but doesn’t quite meet the timeless quality of those first 78 seconds, which seem to carry with them all the unbridled creativity of ’60s pop-pyschedelia, coupled with a modern sensibility that invokes the quirky intensity of bands like the Apples In Stereo. The rest of the record varies from really happy interpretations of Elliott Smith to grandiose orchestrations of the twee-ist of indie pop, with highlights coming in the form of the energetic "Climbing Up Fire Escapes" and the understated epic "Covered Wagons." By the album’s end, the total effect can be a little much, but the fleshed-out arrangements and left-turn chord changes make for a worthwhile listen. And goddamn, "Whirlaway" is a great little piece of music. (GREYDAY) Sam Sutherland