Romantic Comedy

Producer/musician Mitch Easter (frontman for Let’s Active and producer for R.E.M., Suzanne Vega, Pavement, and others) is something of a jangle-pop icon. Here the vaunted producer steers Big Troubles away from the primitive lo-fi fuzz of their 2010 debut and into the shimmering pop light. Alex Craig and Ian Drennan infuse their admiration for the melodic smarts of Teenage Fanclub and the jangle of Let’s Active into the airy, sparkling tones of Romantic Comedy. There are also plenty of nods to ‘70s icons Alex Chilton and Big Star, lending the songs a ripe and thoughtful vibe. The record opens with two knockout tracks: “She Smiles for Pictures” floats on a pillowy chorus and a series of descending notes that reinflate with gleeful swoops. “Misery” is both wistful and graceful, with looping chord progressions billowing over a huge bass line and the words “I just wanna” carrying the weight of the world’s teen angst. They’re both absolutely top-notch pop songs, as is “Sad Girls,” a celebration of britpop at its best.