The Hang Ups: So We Go

The Hang Ups: So We Go
Introducing Endless Mode: A New Games & Anime Site from Paste

When you consider how light and inoffensive The Hang Ups' music is, it's frustrating to see the Twin Cities pop band waiting an inexplicable three years to release a second album. But fans of the sweet, gorgeous He's After Me won't be disappointed by the gentle melodiousness of So We Go; despite the excessively Byrds-esque "Walkin' Around," the new album is consistently hummable, tension-free and virtually impossible to dislike. What separates The Hang Ups from countless other harmless pop/rock bands is the easygoing pace and shimmering clarity of its songs: So We Go ambles and slowly swoons, and though it's as jangly as anything, there's a stately elegance to songs like "The Entry" and the softly harmonious title track. Those looking for music to augment their anguished, rage-filled existence would do well to look elsewhere, but this amiable record will be a refreshing springtime treat for just about everyone else.