Illinois Entertainer

The Lovely Sparrows
Pulling Up Floors, Pouring On New Paint
(Abandoned Love)

Pop music from Austin town is expected to be cutting edge, at least in the age-old attempt to keep the city “weird.” Standing over the trashbin and pulling the strings tight on the bag, however, Lovely Sparrows have closed the garbage off.

Surprisingly economical despite the frayed edges of their EP, Pulling Up Floors, The Lovely Sparrows combine the soaring, oddball folk of The Shins with distortion-less power pop. “Your Flowers Will Bloom” takes great solace knowing from pain comes pleasure, exulting “Hallelujah!” Throughout the EP some guitars are mixed too high (”Chemicals Change”), rhythms are barely kept (”The War Has Seen The Best Of Me”), and the intent of “Attention Disorder Kid” tries to match emotional discord with that of a lack of perfect pitch. Yet when it should all fall apart, the band will themselves to the finish line, drunkenly capturing the flag and demanding if not a prize, than an answer. We’ll leave it to them to provide it.

– Steve Forstneger

Click here to download “Chemicals Change.”