The Ekphrastics, one of 2023’s standout indie pop discoveries, quickly follow up their excellent debut with another collection of must-hear tunes. This Camden, Maine quartet (Frank Boscoe, Mark Wolfe, Paul Coleman, and John Lancia) continues to impress with their sophomore effort Make Your Own Snowboard.

Song like Amy and Jens charm with gentle strumming guitars, upbeat tempos, and pretty melodies. But it’s the lyrics that truly captivate, compelling listeners to pore over the album booklet. Lines like “A pinball machine based on a hard-rock band. One the concessionaires agreed they could not stand. The first eight bars of their biggest radio hit. Repeats six hundred eight times every shift” (from The Intrepid Concessionaire) showcase the band’s sharp pen and storytelling prowess.

Most of the band’s songs read like short stories – occasionally inspired by true events, like in the case of The Arrival of the Graf Zeppelin and Searching for Lillian Gatlin. Whatever the topic, The Ekphrastics display their special talent for making the mundane sound special.

Make Your Own Snowboard is out now on limited edition CD at Harriet Records.

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