Pinback

Time Out says

After 2004’s Summer in Abaddon and 2007’s Autumn of the Seraphs, San Diego indie-rock combo Pinback ditched the seasonal affectations with Information Retrieved. The new LP finds core members Armistead Burwell Smith IV and Rob Crow stepping back onto the scene with an album that lacks the bubbling pop overtones of their previous work. Still, devotees can rest assured that the band has retained much of its ornate string texturing and trademark bass acrobatics.

Having endured the tragic loss of bandmate Terrin Durfey and a steady rotation of supporting musicians, the duo has put a wintry spin on its former sound. Smith and Crow strip their music bare of its rowdy energy and sonic overtures, opting instead for mellow lulls and gradual builds. Yet in typical Pinback fashion, the limber bass, chiseled guitar and reverberating drums align like puzzle pieces in “Proceed to Memory,” an anthemic opener that gradually strengthens with crowd-pleasing woaah ohhhs, and “Drawstring,” a showcase for Crow’s faultless pipes.

If each song moseys along to the next, the effect is deliberate, creating a musical stream of consciousness. Ultimately, the ten-track album’s claim to fame is the way it fosters nostalgia for a time when indie-rock bands were praised for their uniquely distinguishable formulas. The music’s chill notwithstanding, Pinback’s decision to ditch the seasonal monikers bodes well for a sound that pleases all year round.—Maya Friedman