Peel pumps out loose and noisy pop that penetrates the senses with habit-forming melodies and harmonies, fuzz- and feedback-damaged guitar lines that veer between ramshackle and revelatory, loopy keyboards that bounce all over the map, and a lovably youthful exuberance that's hard to resist.
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It's obvious from the outset that Peel's mission is the perfect pop song, which, once caught, must be pummeled into submission with playful abandon. "If I had my way, I'd demolish every building of rock polished to shine so bright,” guitarist Josh Permenter sings on "Oxford,” the clanging, squealing, two-minute album opener that makes clear Peel's purpose right away. "Bells” is a majestic tidal-wave of buzz saw riffs and chiming vibes that's at once sad and sunny, while "Sliding Doors” is a woozy, blues-punk lament that ends with a painful morning-after resolution.
And the tuneful rough-housing rolls on through eight more roller-coaster tracks. This Austin, Texas-based quartet's self-titled debut album is an exhilarating surprise in a largely humdrum run of spring and summer releases. Jump in and Peel out.
— Gene Triplett
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