Princeton

The members of Princeton sip—or gulp—equally from the troughs of Belle & Sebastian and The Decemberists, two bands that appeal to sensitive young souls. From the former they take a penchant for swooning strings, doleful horns, aching melodies, and lyrics as confession. From the latter they take a theatrical sensibility and a tendency toward the baroque. But the California quartet never allows all those violins to clog up the songs, or lets drama get in the way of a good hook. It’s a balancing act, one that rarely falters on the band’s forthcoming album, Cocoon Of Love.

Updated 08/26/2009