Throw Me the Statue: Moonbeams

Label: Secretly Canadian

Though it begins with some vintage keyboard sounds, Throw Me the Statue’s debut album is a classic slice of indie pop, its strummed guitars and clear vocals hearkening back to Silver Scooter, Eric’s Trip or lo-fi-era Guided By Voices. Note “This Is How We Kiss” or “A Mutinous Dream”: these are head-nodding, fist-pumping anthems, easy on the ears and equally memorable. That said, lead Statue Scott Reitherman is also fond of the change-up, and the horn-driven “Groundswell” and slow-burning “The Happiest Man on This Plane” attest that his songwriting aesthetic makes room for a wider range of moods. Moonbeams places Reitherman on the map as a solid pop songwriter, and while the album’s production can feel busy in places, the overall result is a uniformly catchy work. (Toby)