Dalliance

Dalliance

Songwriter Jeremy Underwood brings nearly an entire new crew with him for Gold-Bears’ follow-up to their 2011 debut, Are You Falling in Love?. Yet despite such a major disruption, he's written a follow-up album every bit as infectious and endearing. There’s such a sense of forlorn, heart-on-sleeve pop on songs like “Yeah, Tonight,” “Memo," and “For You” that it’s nearly impossible not to feel your heart tugging along to the relentless rhythms and earnest vocals. Backing vocals from Pam Berry and Emma Cooper add to the sense of shared sorrows. It helps that these charming 11 songs happen in just 32 minutes. It guarantees a sense of loss, as each song is whisked away before it feels over. Just as “Yeah, Tonight” seems ready for one last go-round, “Chest” comes barreling forth, with yet another indelible chorus. When things slow down for “I Hope They’re Right,” it’s for an acoustic ballad designed to break hearts in another way. With no weak links, Dalliance is the type of follow-up album that should have listeners racing back to the debut album to either relive that experience or to see what they missed.