QTY

Album review

Arriving with plenty of laid-back swagger and street-smart lyricism, indie rock outfit QTY offer up their Bernard Butler-produced debut via the Dirty Hit label. Formed in 2014, QTY grew out of the partnership of singers/guitarists Dan Lardner and Alex Niemetz, two New York natives who had already cut their teeth together in another band, Grand Rapids. After recording some demos with a friend in San Francisco, they were quickly signed to U.K. indie Dirty Hit Records (Wolf Alice, the 1975) which urged the duo to take their time and continue honing their already stripped-down tunes. They were eventually paired with Suede guitarist Butler, who helped them strike a balance between their literate savvy and dirty garage punk hooks. What comes across on their debut is an amalgam of New York rock spanning several decades from the Velvet Underground to the Strokes to Parquet Courts. The melodies are generally strong and straightforward, delivered by Lardner in a laconic Lou Reed drawl with Niemetz joining in on harmony and occasional girl group vocal stacks. It's a classic sound, for sure, but what they lack in innovation, QTY make up for in tight songcraft and the strangely magnetic allure of their low key style of rock. Butler's occasionally glammy production works well on standout cut "Dress Undress," though "Cold Nights" ends up feeling a bit overblown. QTY sound most comfortable delivering tuneful guitar pop nuggets like the excellent "Sad Poetic" and the understated "New Beginnings," the latter of which lets Niemetz shine on lead vocals. Overall, this is a strong debut with heart, style, and some nice hooks.

© Timothy Monger /TiVo