Minus the baggage of realizing that nothing's incredibly distinct about it, John Twells' second
Xela album is nonetheless a cuddly, sunlit listen. Filled with nostalgic/half-remembered tints that have nearly become as much of a cottage industry as retro garage rock bands; its autumnal glow comes across as homespun, less reliant on trickery than other releases that fill this niche. The folksiness of Twells' tremulous acoustic guitar, in fact, should please those who much prefer melodies to processing. This should appeal to followers of the Temporary Residence label as much as those who are now having trouble staying on top of City Centre Offices' suddenly rapid release schedule. ~ Andy Kellman