Versus has emerged as something special amid a glut of bright-eyed, sweet-hearted, jangly indie-pop bands, and two reasons for this are evident throughout the 11 tracks that constitute the new Secret Swingers. 1) Vocals are swapped from boy to girl to girl/boy to boy/girl in a genuinely unpredictable and refreshing way. And 2) Though much of Secret Swingers is encased in a clear, melancholy jangle-pop sheen, there's a sneaky undercurrent of edgy dissonance that sets your feet tapping where you might otherwise be lulled into submission. The punchy "Glitter of Love" is pretty and subtly revved-up, as are the slow-building "Ghost Story" and the deadpan "Angels Rush In." Secret Swingers isn't earthshattering by any means, but it's another solid entry in Versus' short but impressive discography.
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