Summer Hymns so far has shown itself capable of releasing stuff on a regular basis without overstaying their welcome or forcing fickle collectors to keep checklists in their wallets for visits to the record store to track down their many releases.

This latest offering, which is officially being billed as an EP, may come as a surprise so seemingly soon after what at least one of our staffers considered one of the top 20 records of 2003. I know I was shocked to see this show up in my box, but pleasantly shocked once I had let it run its course about three or four times in my player.

Returning more to their earlier psychedelic form, the ten songs gather steam with each listen and personify that slacker charm that has fueled the band's three previous full-length recordings to date. "What They Really Do" is a haze of instrumentation with that laid back vibe of Zachary Grisham vocals painting their way over a clash of noise, horns and tuneful drums.

Even though it's only 24 seconds over a minute, "Button Flies" is sure to be the most talked about song on the record, Gresham enlisting his always quirky humor to talk about love in a way I guarantee not even the oddest of chart-toppers will. "I ain't gonna lose my pants this time/ Whenever she's around I lose my mind/ She can steal my heart but not my Calvin Kleins/ So I ain't gonna lose my pants this time."

"It Takes Two" continues the theme with a countrified ditty that lists the many things one can do alone, contrasting it with "it takes two to tango" logic. If they keep putting together songs like this, it's only a matter of time before the pop queens and kings will come calling trying to make the big bucks off these hidden pop geniuses. Seriously, listen to this song a few times and you can see the possibilities for exploitation are endless.

"Capsized" would fit in nicely with the later tracks on the band's recent gem Clemency, the droning keyboard and tender vocals at times bring to mind Yo La Tengo. Things are stripped down to the bare minimum for the closer, "No Butlers," ending another fine recording from a band that guarantees to release at least one more brilliant collection of songs before year's end.

posted 02.11.03

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Matt Ralph has bags full of bad CD's. Add to his collection at matt@tangzine.com