Album Review: Real Estate - In Mind

What's that? You like to play guitars? When you're New Jersey's favourite indie poppers Real Estate, of course you do!

Lucky, too, because In Mind is full of them. Since 2014's breakout record, Atlas, founding member and lead guitarist Matt Mondanile departed the band and Julian Lynch has joined the fold. From the outset of opening track Darling, right the way through the record, it's clear that Real Estate are chuffed with having Lynch onside, as is reflected in the freedom he's given across most tracks.

The layering of In Mind is admirable, and the stereo build of songs like Stained Glass makes listening to it through headphones a truly immersive experience. Too often, though, moments like Serve The Song and Two Arrows meander, losing themselves in Wilco-inspired weeds. Real Estate occasionally throw in a tasty morsel, but they're fewer, and less satisfying, than those you'd find on a Kurt Vile album.

It's not totally clear what Real Estate are trying to achieve with In Mind. It reflects a maturation of the band — this record is their fourth in eight years — but whereas the band's strength used to lie in its catchy-yet-classy sound, their focus seems to have honed in on their own sophistication at the expense of their youthful exuberance and to the detriment of this album.