Following a single and an EP, Brooklyn five-piece Gross Relations released last week a first (self-titled) full-length – and it’s tasty. Rarely has lo-fi seemed like such a good alternative to routine. Driving synth-heavy melodies through a stream of 90s alt-rock a la Lemonheads, Fountains of Wayne & acolytes, the album takes fuzz to its cheerful place through a (free!) collection of hopeful anthems. Starting with Signs – the most vivid example of this tendency – Gross Relations rethought the buildup of a pop rock song, one part at a time, as a path that doesn’t have to end in a scintillating explosion but can convey the exact same satisfaction in a crackling, confused mess of a climax. Download their single "Fine Tune Something" below. – Tracy Mamoun
