‘Wrong Side’ does a good job of displaying the band’s strengths: counterpointing guitar lines (often with contrasting tones, degrees of distortion and a separate channel for each of the two guitars), a pleasantly grumbling rhythm section and Simon Kobayashi’s slightly disinterested vocals, which are reminiscent of both Malkmus and Lou Barlow of Dinosaur Jr.

The Archers-of-Loaf-infused ‘Cockpit’ is the catchiest song on Trespassing and contains some of the wittiest lyrics as well: it’s about a pilot reassuring his passengers that, despite the engines stopping and the masks dropping down, he’ll land the plane – before calling out “if anyone knows how to fly this/better speak up now/get off your arse and participate”.

There are some nice grooves, some even lovelier lyrics, and an absolute minimum of overdubs or – perish the thought – synths, and goddammit, sometimes that’s just what you need. Especially if you want to party like it’s 1993.


1. Out of Nothing
2. Wrong Side
3. Cockpit
4. Leaves
5. Trespasses
6. Made in China
7. Lost in the Post
8. Arrows
9. Kindness
10. Like a Velvet Glove Cast in Iron
11. 1532