Song(s) of the Day # 1,654 Clearance

Chicago band Clearance lay down their cards fairly early on for their second album At Your Leisure. They're clearly fond of The Feelies and The Clean and in the modern scheme of things could be accurately pigeonholed midway between Omni and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, both bands they've supported.

So having laid their influences bare, (the band themselves are quite upfront themselves listing all of these plus other like-minded souls on their Spotify playlist), is there much of interest here? Flying Nun bands in particular have such an inordinate influence nowadays given how relatively obscure they were back in the day. Every other American indie band nowadays seems to be lining up to sing their praises. You hear this sound an awful lot.

Despite all this At Your Leisure does repay the listen. For a couple of reasons. Vocalist Mike Bellis's laconic presence, (like a less caustic Stephen Malkmus), and for the constant interplay of the twin guitars . Each track is fluid, clean adventuring. Not a record likely to rock any foundations but quietly commendable nonetheless.