Ears Wide Open: AV Club

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In an era when pristine, pitch-perfect harmonies dominate indie-pop, the loose choruses meted out by AV Club are actually refreshing – engaging and organic. The six songs on “Whale Talk” (Manzan Records), the first EP from singer-guitarist Austin Eastlee, keyboardist Sean Guerin, guitarist Jay Oligny, bassist Carson Lere and drummer Spencer Lere, are a lot like that too; they deal with believing in oneself, embracing the positive and keeping a sense of humor about it all. “Brown boxes indicate this end is up / Well I’m glad that something still is,” Eastlee sings on “Perfect Platitudes.” The quintet doesn’t get everything right on “Whale Talk” – and we’re still trying the translate the hidden final minute of “As Loud As Our Love” – but it’s a start.

||| Stream: “If You Haven’t Noticed Yet” and “Perfect Platitudes”

||| Live: AV Club plays Sunday at Lot 1 Cafe and March 9 at the Echo.

Photo by Diana Ellen Mantis