The sound of a hangover of the prettiest hangover ever

The folk stylings of New Bums hits an interesting spot on the musical spectrum, both stylistically and mood-wise. They‰’re sad and downbeat, but not outright depressing like Sun Kil Moon, and their songs about down and out drunks aren‰’t like the Hold Steady‰’s ballads of bored suburban kids looking for a good time in the city. Instead, their the sound of a hungover rainy morning after a night that started at the bar at 8 pm and ended when the group woke up 8 am next to the stools they were sitting on. Bleary-eyed and lethargic, the spare acoustic ballads of the New Bums are never self-loathing, even if they are about degenerates and good people who are friends with degenerates, but are instead almost serene, beautiful and contemplative, featuring sweet harmonies and deceptively well-written guitar lines. The aforementioned harmonies aren‰’t “sweet‰” in a Simon & Garfunkel sense, but manage to sound both weary and full of life at the same time. Scruffy yet neat, sad yet sweet, Voices in a Rented Room is a great record not only because of the pitfalls it avoids, but for its dark sense of humor and laid back but not at ease vibe, perfect for both studying and for drinking yourself to death.

RIYL: Cass McCombs, Angel Olsen, Wilco
Recommended: 1-4, 8, 10