New God | Firework (Yellow K)

The album is bright, melodious, and sing-able.

 

Full of scrumptious melodies and resounding harmonies, New God’s latest release, Firework, also includes a five-voice choir. The album is produced by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Kenny Tompkins, who is also responsible for most of the writing of the album.

Compared to the band’s prior releases, EP Silver Rings (available on red vinyl) and the full-length Motorcar, New God branches out some here. With a mixture of ’60s psychedelic pop, church-type chants, and ’70s-style guyitar work, New God come across as an Aphrodite’s Child for the modern age.

Using instrumentation and sampling, the band combines catchy melodies, harmonic vocals, and a pop sensibility. At times, the percussion is dropped to a minimum, letting the voices reign supreme. The music goes from sublime to bombastic, and the melodies can become almost noxious. While soft at times, this is not a wimpy release. The album is bright, melodious, and sing-able. With ELO-type harmonies and Depeche Mode–style percussion strung throughout, this is, overall, a happy, sunny CD.

Spotlight tracks include “Demon Chant,” with its killer harmonies; “Summer Girl,” which is quite poppy and infectious, including a cool guitar riff; and the title track, with its stunning chants and chorus. B- | Marc Farr