Hal

Paul Chastain, “Hal” (Pet Sounds, 1985)
This guy made somewhat of a name for himself with Velvet Crush in the ‘90s, but for some reason this EP ended up in total historical oblivion, which blows, because it’s an absolutely perfect work of power-pop/jangle-pop alchemy, like a missing link between “Black Vinyl Shoes” and “Chronic Town.” Drums set down a clean mid-tempo pulse as guitars shift between tense lead lines and wafts of ringing Rickenbacker-chordage and back again. It’s like a summer stroll through a precisely trimmed topiary maze where all the twists and turns lead you exactly where you’re supposed to go.
Try 1/1, 1/ 2, 2/1
6/9/19