We are music fans, not critics, which is why we don't post negative news. So you can be sure that if we publish a post about a song or album, we truly like it and have picked it from among our many submissions and discoveries. However, even among all of our favored musical "children", some work stands out. And that brings us to The Hollow Husk of Feeling, the second full length album by New Zealand's Best Bets. From a sturdy, broadly conceived power pop platform the band delivers 12 tracks stretching from the edge of jangle pop to the border of alt rock. Guitars jangle, chime slash or describe tangled figures as the material requires, and the rhythm section controls the pace with power and finesse. But this set of songs is more than solid gold sounds, as Best Bets features three songwriters with a feel for melody and a talent for lyrical craftsmanship. If you are only going to have room for ten guitar pop albums this year, make certain that The Hollow Husk of Feeling is one of the ten.
Best Bets are Olly Crawford Ellis, James Harding, Matt Phimmavanh, and Joe Sampson. James and Olly are members of Transistors and Joe has been in Salad Boys, T54 and other projects (including the label Melted Ice Cream). The Hollow Husk of Feeling is out now via Meritorio Records and Melted Ice Cream.
