Bandleader
Mia Lust and co-singer/guitarist
Laura Orlova are back with a new keyboardist and rhythm section for
Chemtrails' second album,
The Peculiar Smell of the Inevitable. It turns out not to be a cause of concern for fans, as the refreshed lineup continues to funnel the group's boisterous blend of vintage surf, garage rock, and proto-punk influences into compellingly glittery noise pop. Even more newsworthy than changes in membership is that over the course of the three EPs and the full-length that preceded it, the duo's songwriting has only gotten catchier. At the same time,
Lust's snarling mix of complaints and shrug-emoji endurance of subjects both personal and societal bring just the right amount (a lot) of outsider attitude to their poppy tunes. Effervescent punk tracks including the irresistible opener "Blurred Visions," "Frightful in the Sunlight," and the more dissonant "Brother Connor" keep the tempos and energy up, while "Naked Souls Get Swallowed" and "Rats" channel '60s girl groups and beachy psych-pop, respectively. Throughout it all, they layer noise in the form of vocal and churning guitar echo, crashing cymbals, humming keys, and a variety of hard-wired effects. Closing couplet "Slag Heap Deity 1" and "Slag Heap Deity 2" offer contrasting takes on a melodic theme, giving it a clattering garage pop and double-time surf-punk treatment, both of them worthwhile. In fact, there are no serious underperformers on
The Peculiar Smell of the Inevitable, and the uninitiated would do well to start here for the band's strongest set of songs to date.