A surprising release from this Iowa City/Fort Collins duo; music that is bright and sunny, counterbalanced by somewhat dark lyrics. I like this; it’s wide – all over the map and infectious. From the moment the opening track “Princes Of Rubble” kicks in, it’s a fun musical ride. “Autumn Percussion” has an almost-shanty like rhythm and mournful sounding vocals; “Taking You With Me” is eerie-pop matched by some intriguing lyrics (“…I left her there to rot…”). The quality of sound is not to be overlooked, either; crisp and taut drums; sparkling acoustic guitars and solid keyboards with great, rich background vocals. “Alexander Palace” is gentle and lush; “Multi Unit Housing Makes Bad Neighbors” is clever, well-constructed and highly catchy; the closer, “Union” is acoustic simplicity and beauty. Full marks to The Lonelyhearts for this first great album of the summer. Years In The Interior will grow on you instantly.
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