San Francisco group
the Umbrellas follow a blueprint mapped out by the greats of obscure, lovelorn indie pop, continuing the introverted jangle of
Sarah Records, the fuzzy excitement of
K Records-style melodic punks like
Tiger Trap, and the romantic pop of elder indie greats like
Orange Juice and
Felt. The band have steadily grown, moving from drum-machine-backed early tracks to a more sonically detailed 2021 self-titled full-length, and they expand their production and arrangement even further on sophomore set
Fairweather Friend. Opening track "Three Cheers" embodies much of the group's progress, with live drums even pushier and more frantic than the organic playing on their debut, undercurrents of synthesizer and hand percussion hiding beneath layers of chiming guitars, and involved vocal arrangements posing as simple singsong but actually going much deeper into harmony and atmosphere. "Toe the Line" blasts by in a punky rush, delivering its melodic fare soaked in feedback and distortion but breaking down for a surfy guitar solo. While
Fairweather Friend is louder, faster, and darker than
the Umbrellas' earlier material, the album also goes to new places in its less aggressive moments. "Say What You Mean" is a triumphant, marching midtempoed song that focuses on its string arrangements, and the mellow acoustic tune "Blue" ventures into beachy chamber pop. The main directive of the album is paisley jangle, as with standout tracks like the enthusiastically poppy "Gone" or the fiendishly catchy "Goodbye," but
the Umbrellas stretch their sound in all directions as
Fairweather Friend plays out, calling on various corners of indie pop history yet translating it all into their own songwriting language. ~ Fred Thomas
![The Boy with the Arab Strap [LP]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0744861031185_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "The Boy with the Arab Strap [LP]")
