The Inner Banks

Album Review

The married couple David Gould and Caroline Schutz makes up the Inner Banks, although the two have roped in friends and associates from their other bands for their self-titled debut, an eclectic set consisting mostly of instrumentals written by Gould. Schutz contributes lyrics to two tracks, "Glittering Sky" and "Anthem," and she sings them, as well as providing wordless "ah" and "la" sounds on some of the other tracks. Her words tend toward the abstract (the "Glittering Sky" lyric is a depiction of a snow storm), but she might as well have collaborated on some of Gould's other compositions, since they sound like rich pop songs much of the time. In particular, "Buried West," with its horns, vibraphone, and lap steel, has an appropriately Western feel and might have supported an overarching melody and vocal. Without words, the tunes suggest movie soundtrack music, but they have an engaging chamber pop sound.