Citay: Little Kingdom

Label: Dead Oceans

I love this record to pieces. To pieces! And what makes Citay’s Little Kingdom all the more pleasurable is the fact that my expectations were sky high. Citay’s debut on the Important label was one of my favorite records of 2006, and here’s their follow-up, released only a year later, and it doesn’t disappoint at all. Led by Bay Area guitar whiz Ezra Feinberg, Citay creates music that’s both forward-thinking and nostalgic at once, with delightful nods to cheery psych-folk and a twin-guitar attack that’s pure 70s arena rock. Sounds cheesy? It isn’t. That’s the beauty of the music. For one thing, the playing on this mostly instrumental album is flawless, a seamless flow of good grooves and guitars. Feinberg has assembled a fine cast of musicians, including Tim Green of the Fucking Champs and Warren Heugel of Tussle, who allow these long tracks to breathe and develop beautifully, reaching stirring climaxes time and time again. Little Kingdom is a sheer delight, and Citay is now one of my favorite new bands on the planet – won’t you please check them out? (James)