Chevron Bloom – Henry
In the interim since Buffalo’s Chevron Bloom debuted their first recording, they’ve packed on some muscle with the addition of veteran axe-man Gerald Thomas, and the now-foursome has just released a second recording—another EP titled Henry. While this enhanced instrumentation affords them a bit more range and complexity, Henry remains largely rooted in their established lush and spacey indie rock sound, while marking a progression towards a slightly darker and more urgent place. However, unlike many other bands carrying on the torch of the 90’s shoegaze sound, Chevron Bloom crafts their dreamy soundscapes through solid and original songwriting rather than relying on a wall of effects noise and sonics, and that gives this album a unique soul and character. The raw sparkle of Galaxie 500 is a palpable undercurrent in these songs—especially in frontman Jay Sallese’s vocal delivery—but they also channel the moody intensity of late-era Unwound, especially on “Halfway[...]