Pinback

Even though Zach Smith and Rob Crow made engaging records with earlier projects, the first results of their musical partnership -- a set of gracefully composed, hypnotic pop songs that were meticulously home recorded on Smith's PC -- was a stunning surprise. The most successful songs -- "Loro," "Rousseau," "Tripoli" -- cycle breathy melodies over ornate bass guitar for a mesmerizing result. Maybe it's the lingering effect of love-at-first-listen, but Pinback's debut doesn't have a single misstep, and remains their most entrancing LP.