The Cave Singers – Naomi (US import)

With their fourth album, Seattle indie folk rockers the Cave Singers offer up a lively set of tunes infused with a joy and lightheartedness not seen from them before now. The rootsy group made up of ex-hardcore and emo players from bands like Pretty Girls Make Graves and Murder City Devils always kept a little bit of punk edge for even their most rustic tunes with Cave Singers, but with Naomi, that sharpness is all but gone, replaced not with a mellow resignation but a softer sort of excitement. Songs like “Canopy” and “Have to Pretend” are sheer, sunshiny happiness, with major-key melodies floating on top of snaky guitar leads and rolling rhythms. Vocalist Peter Quirk‘s raspy croon is filled with ambitious hopefulness, brushing his punk-schooled folk vocals with just enough country twang to hint at a happier, relaxed perspective for the singer and the band’s sound in general. Mint.