The new psych pop band led by former Good Touch Bad Touch singer-guitarist Ryan Wilkins, Sun Spots makes quite an impression on its vibrant debut that recalls the indie pop of the '90s. Featuring contributions by members of local acts such as Village Bicycle, Voxcaster, the Dreadful Yawns, and Spacer Ace, the album took the group a full year to make; it's a meticulously crafted collection of brittle but high-energy pop tunes. Songs such as "Rapid Transit" and "Snowblind" are rambunctious numbers with echoes of Guided by Voices, and album opener "Catastrophe Headwear" has aspirations of Posies-inspired power pop. The ballad "Flutter" falls a bit flat, but this is an otherwise fun and engaging listen that the band rightly advises is best appreciated with a pair of headphones. —Jeff Niesel
Sun Spots performs at 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6 at the Happy Dog.
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