6 out of 10
Craft Spells is blessed with having all the elements of hipsterdom that any “Indie” band needs for success these days. You have front man Justin Vallesteros’s romantic tale of lonely-bedroom amateur turned Indie idol. You have four attractive, trendy young guys who look like Urban Outfitters’s next cover models. You even have their dreamy nostalgic pop that just oozes a fetishistic obsession with the eighties -- something today’s music industry can’t seem to escape.
I mention all of these qualities because as I listen to their most recent release, 'Gallery EP', Craft Spells’ image as a band seems inseparable from their music. The first track, “Still Left With Me,” with its hazy vocals, flat drum-machine beats, and lyrics of adolescent love (“Keep you close and tough like history / After the fire, You’re still left with me”), immediately draws parallels with the likes of Neon Indian and Washed Out. “Sun Trails” even takes such theatrics to the next level, as its sinuous bass lines, melodious guitar interludes, and flashy disco beats (New Order’s “Temptation,” anyone?) would easily make anyone recall the flashiness of early New Wave.
Despite all of these critiques, it has to be said: behind Craft Spells’s cliched sound is the work of a truly gifted songwriter. On the latter half of the EP, Vallesteros’s abilities to write catchy, mature melodies shines through with the dance floor-ready “Leave My Shadow” and melodramatic ballad “Gallery.” Tracks like these make one wonder how much more this band could have to offer, if only they’d separate themselves from the bindings of image and hype. But for now, though this is a fun listen, don’t expect anything you haven’t heard before.
Recommended Tracks: Leave My Shadow, Gallery
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