Download: Princeton “Calypso Gold”

(from Cocoon of Love out now on Kanine)

I’m not sure whether to smile or vomit at how adorable this record is, but because I am reviewing this record and need to be honest with you, I have to drop my mask and say, “I like this record.” There—I said it. With a name like Princeton and the fact that the dudes in the band wear boat shoes, they seem to fit the term “prep rock”— invented solely to describe Vampire Weekend. But Princeton’s first full-length had me at the trumpets on opener “Sadie and Andy.” I even felt a bit sad when after 3 minutes and 36 seconds, Sadie still wasn’t havin’ it. In fact, she said some pretty harsh words: “Andy, you are nothing but a memory/I haven’t thought of you at all/And I don’t wish to now” On “Stunner Shades in Heaven,” the drone of the vocals and light bells make the title even funnier, and that the band was able to use “stunner shades” in a sad song and still keep the song sounding sad is quite a feat. In a currently electro-saturated scene, it’s nice to see a band put time into a solid album both lyrically and instrumentally—using actual instruments to make you want to dance (or just sway) rather than computers and machines. The vocals fall a bit flat midway and sound far better with exploding instrumentals and a chorus of background singers behind them—luckily there’s no shortage of that! They’re sure to be America’s next indie darlings: twin brothers plus the instrumental talent of Dirty Projectors. With an opening spot for Ra Ra Riot’s upcoming tour, it won’t take long for your little brother or sister to catch on to these guys. So jump on the bandwagon before it leaves the station.

—Ilyse Kaplan