Rangers - Late Electrics (2018)

"In a rare instance of a musician being correct, Joe Knight aka Rangers has said that Late Electrics is his greatest work yet.

The lyrics to the woozy 'Never Expected Much' see Knight wearily surrendering to the blanket vacuity of gentrification. It's ironic, then, that you could argue that Rangers' sound has become increasingly "gentrified" and this is certainly no bad thing. Compared to the relative scrappiness of some of the project's earlier releases, 'Dog Mom' has such a well-polished balance of rockin' guitar work to shiny synth lines that it compares to Trans Am. Granted, Trans Am are not salmon-bagel-munching millionaires themselves but their sound is rather lavish. Geffen Records paid certain bands a bucket load of cash to record in glitzy studios in the alt-rock heyday, and few of them came up with anything as accomplished as 'Apartment Scene'. Joe Knight has crafted this slacker-rock humdinger all on his tod in some faraway Texan hole.

Other highlights include 'Dutch Oven' (possibly the most poignant song named after a household appliance since Lemonheads' 'Stove') and 'Dish Rags' which tackles the woes of supporting a sports team. You can imagine that physical-games fanatic Stephen Malkmus, Honorary King of Portland, might dig that latter one. Its twiddly bits and keyboard details are not hugely dissimilar to The Jicks' sparkliest moments."