Real Jams

There’s something about pretty much every single Real Estate song that evokes a beautiful summer day, and it’s not just because many of their songs take this lyrical theme as a jumping off point. The fact that they hail from Ridgewood, New Jersey might come as a surprise considering their adherence to a remarkably natural sound that reflects beauty in all things. Their self-titled 2009 LP garnered them a significant amount of critical acclaim and made them a staple on the touring indie and festival circuit. On Days, released on they have chosen to stick with many of the mainstays of their sound, including reverb-drenched guitars, jangling chords, and loopy, filtered vocal melodies that are both effortlessly enjoyable and well-crafted. The simultaneous success of bands like Girls and the Smith Westerns, who employ a similar musical style, might cause listeners to view them as a copycat act, but this is far from the truth. Although the major components of their music are the same, Real Estate have made enormous leaps in the quality of their songwriting and their coherence as a band. Songs on both of their records might seem lackadaisical upon first listen, but careful examination reveals a tremendous attention to detail that elevates Days to new heights.

Album opener “Easy” sets the stage for the rest of the tracks to come. The guitars of singer Martin Courtney and Matthew Monadile intertwine and fall out from liberal use of flanger and reverb effects as each takes turns holding the spotlight. With lyrics like “I was just floating on an inner tube in the sun,” you get an excellent vibe for what Real Estate is all about, as well as what they hope to convey with their music. First single “It’s Real” follows a fairly straightforward pop structure, but the vocal “oh-oh’s” of the chorus and the spectacular lead guitar line that follows combine into something truly special. Clocking in at just about two and a half minutes, the band wastes no time going on, accomplishing what they want, and then shutting it down, a quality that is extremely admirable for a genre that frequently ventures into repetitive, jam-like territory.

When Real Estate does let songs run long, the result actually plays to their advantage due to a seemingly never-ending repertoire of guitar hooks that flow out of Monadile. Each one provides an outstanding complement to the composition of the song, and he frequently layers and overlaps several riffs at once to achieve a musical high tinged by psychedelia and meticulous attention to detail. On both “Wonder Years” and “Three Blocks,” the band employs slide guitar and piano that really help to accent their sound, as well as adding a decidedly retro vibe that recalls the Beach Boys. The rotation between vocal efforts by both guitarists and bassist Alex Bleeker also assists in keeping things fresh and making sure the songs sound individualized and distinguished, a problem that many critics had with their first album.

Penultimate track “Younger Than Yesterday” delves the furthest into what could be considered a hard-edged or minor tone for the band, which is a refreshing switch on a record that based pretty much entirely on simple major chord changes. Album closer “All the Same” stretches out over seven minutes but manages to resist getting boring with several key changes and switches of direction.

Truthfully, if you hear one Real Estate song and you enjoy it, you’re more than likely to enjoy the band’s whole catalogue; unfortunately, the converse is also true. But if you can look past the blogosphere hype and give this record an honest chance, there’s really very little to hate and a myriad of really outstanding pop tracks.