On their two previous outings, Virginia Beach combo Turnover have built an appealing world of misty dream pop and gently paced guitar jangle to frame the warm introspections of frontman Austin Getz. The band has been around for a decade, initially presenting a more aggressive, emo-driven approach which they abandoned after their first LP. Just prior to 2017's pleasantly nuanced Good Nature, Turnover became a trio with the departure of their late-period lead guitarist Eric Soucy. Since then, Getz has moved cross-country to Northern California while his brother, Casey Getz (drums), and bassist Danny Dempsey remain back on the East Coast, resulting in their first geographical split since their formation. In spite of this, Turnover have recorded what they consider to be their most collaborative outing in 2019's pastel-hued and surprisingly loungey Altogether. Written and arranged both remotely and during breaks together on tour, the album was produced once again with longtime collaborator Will Yip, who at this point almost acts like a fourth bandmember. As a whole, Altogether is perhaps the lightest and most pop-oriented release in the band's canon, doubling down on bright guitar tones and jazzy chord voicings, and relying even more heavily on lush synth parts to augment their sound. While its feather-soft tone flirts with the smooth banality of easy listening, parts of the album are far more clever and well-structured than first impressions might suggest. Standouts like "Much After Feeling" and "Parties" offer a complexity and gentle command that belie their hazy lounge-pop vibes. The sprightly "Plant Sugar" melds the energy of the band's earlier outings with the neon nightclub elements of their present sound in a unique and exciting way. On the other hand, humid yacht rock explorations like "Sending Me Right Back" and "Ceramic Sky," with their slinky conga patterns and mellow sax solos, feel rather languid and, while they serve to chart Turnover's ongoing sonic evolution, they fail to make much of an impression.
© Timothy Monger /TiVo