Crumb: Jinx Vinyl LP
$23.95
<p><i>The four members of Crumb met at Tufts University in Boston a few years ago,</i> forming as a vehicle for <strong>Lila Ramani</strong>’s songwriting. <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?&q=crush%20pocket&filter=Brand/Manufacturer/Artist_fq:%22Crumb%22" target="_blank">Two solid EPs</a> later they hit with this self-released debut album <em>Jinx</em>, inspired by their meteoric rise, a near fatal car accident and the production sound of <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?type=product&q=Arthur+Verocai" target="_blank"><strong>Arthur Verocai</strong></a>. At every turn on <em>Jinx</em> the crew churn out dazzling psych pop snacks without ever becoming predictable, and although we’re reminded of similarly cute and young bands like <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?&q=Barrie&filter=Brand/Manufacturer/Artist_fq:%22Barrie%22" target="_blank"><strong>Barrie</strong></a> and <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?type=product&q=Men+I+Trust" target="_blank"><strong>Men I Trust</strong></a>, it’s clear that <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?&q=Crumb&filter=Brand/Manufacturer/Artist_fq:%22Crumb%22" target="_blank"><strong>Crumb</strong></a> aren’t at all concerned with creating the perfect pop song. For every memorable riff or sugary vocal on <em>Jinx</em>, there’s a jazzy modulation / tempo change (“Part III”) or detuned synth buzzing like an angry wasp (“And It Never Ends”) to disorient you. Ramani’s gliding vocals on “Nina” and “Fall Down” vaguely recall <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?type=product&q=Tame+Impala" target="_blank"><strong>Kevin Parker</strong></a>’s lackadaisical meanderings, albeit backed with more imaginative / less claustrophobic instrumentation. You could draw connections to <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?type=product&q=Stereolab" target="_blank"><strong>Stereolab</strong></a> or <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?type=product&q=Broadcast" target="_blank"><strong>Broadcast</strong></a>, but I honestly think <strong>Crumb</strong> are too young to have been inspired by (or rip off) those bands, so the results of their psych / jazz / pop stew are refreshingly original (“all of my heroes are people I know,” sings Ramani on “Faces”). A less European / more weeded version of <a href="https://www.turntablelab.com/search?type=product&q=Melody%E2%80%99s+Echo+Chamber" target="_blank"><strong>Melody’s Echo Chamber</strong></a>, maybe. Check out “Ghostride” “M.R.” “Cracking,” “Jinx,” “Faces” and bonus track “Better” which you won’t find on digital versions of the album. Recommended.</p> <ul> <li>black vinyl pressing</li> <li>contains exclusive bonus track 'Better'</li> <li>printed foldout lyric insert</li> <li>music label: Crumb Records 2019</li> </ul> <h6>reviewed by Isosceles Kramer 06/2019</h6>