Campfires

Enough with this whole lo-fi resurgence. Even though it’s still chugging along with Best Coast and Washed Out and countless other bands, the whole reverb-ed to the max scene is just tired. It’s incredibly refreshing, then, when a band like Chicago’s Campfires can somehow manage to put a whole new spin on the fuzz-rock scene, ultimately sounding fresh and sunny rather than vacant and boring. As Campfires, Michigan native Jeff Walls lets layers of sound wash over each other while adding in jangly melodies, sounding more like the very best of The Monkees than My Bloody Valentine. (Seriously—“Chasing Planets” is Campfire’s “Pleasant Valley Sunday.”) It’s a welcome Kinks-ian turn from where the scene was going, and hopefully a sign of good things to come when the band’s full-length comes out later this year. 

Updated 02/23/2011