Altadore - Golden Hills

"Altadore describes itself as 'indie rock.' What on earth does that mean in the year 2015? From listening to their appealing new five-song EP, Wandering Ghost, it means, I think, that the Portland band has drums, guitars, and a singer, but they're more interested in exploring sonic textures with those instruments than banging out three-chord blues-derived jams. The guitars shimmer with just-so amounts of echo (rather than bellow and crunch); the drums lope along elegantly (rather than bash and clatter); the songs are pretty (without being folk- derived). It's not exactly an uncommon sound in this day and age, but the melodies, delivered by lead singer David Katz, are where Altadore gaze in the rock 'n' roll rearview and find their anchor. The tunes evoke '50s prom ballads, Brian Wilson-esque chord structures, and Raspberries power-pop. If Altadore's sound is nebulous, their grasp on timeless songwriting is not, and it's what sets this indie-rock band apart from countless others with the same designation. - The Portland Mercury

• altadoremusic.com