While Boston duo
Tall Heights introduced their flair for folk-influenced melodies and blended vocal harmonies as an acoustic act on their first few releases, their sophomore LP, 2016's
Neptune, saw them expand into a more atmospheric, part-electronic indie pop. The sound was suited to bigger spaces but hung onto a reflective tone and a certain demure sensibility. Two years later,
Pretty Colors for Your Actions returns
Neptune co-producers Oliver Hill (
Pavo Pavo) and Steve Wall (
Sara Bareilles,
Lucius) and mostly retains that album's palette and demeanor. It opens a cappella style over minimal piano accompaniment with multi-tracked vocal harmonies by
Tall Heights'
Tim Harrington and Paul Wright. "Not Like It Was" adds trumpet before settling into a groove and passing in and out of lush, near-psychedelic climaxes. Speaking of psychedelia, tracks like "Oslo" and, especially, "Over Now" explore trippier sonics via delay, warped electronics, and, toward the end of the latter, a floaty cacophony of effects, electric guitar, rock drums, improvised saxophone, and more. Still, the album keeps at least one foot firmly in the pop realm throughout, whether through simple, slicker keyboard chords or the guys' sweet melodicism. Acknowledging anxious lyrics, musically speaking, they offer outright upbeat pop on tracks such as "Red Bird" and "House on Fire," with its much more melodic saxophone.
Pretty Colors for Your Actions is the type of record that may be different things to different people -- intimate balladry,
ELO-like prog-pop, sprawling psych-pop, or bouncy guitar ditties -- depending on what ears extract from a consistently cushiony, synthesized sound. ~ Marcy Donelson