The sound of Tancred, solo project of ‘Now, Now’ guitarist Jess Abbott, hits a nice grey area between punk and power pop. Abbot’s striking vocals and guitar work definitely get the blood pumping, but the band behind her doesn’t miss a beat, integrating the songwriting through skillful and at times subtle dynamic shifts that underline the songs’ tension and release sequence. Rounding out the band’s aeshtetic, Abbot’s lyrics are often incisive and contemplative, and give the music nice emotional and intellectual qualities. Their latest project ‘Out of the Garden’ shows a developed, refined sound, and we’re surprised they slipped through the cracks of this blog’s coverage. The band is about to wrap up a US tour with Speedy Ortiz, and will perform next at Great Scott on 6/22. — Henry Solotaroff-Webber
