If your friends tell you they stopped listening to guitar music because it’s become too predictable and boring, give them the new National Photo Committee LP (or CD) and lock them up for a couple of hours. They will come out recalibrated.

National Photo Committee has been described as “a Chicago band that sounds like they grew up in Virginia and got kicked out of college in Olympia,” which is a riddle to some and a secret handshake to others. But here’s a band that sounds like punks playing slacker rock with sophisti-pop ambition, fluent in where they draw their inspiration from, going as far back as country and blues, and channeling that through ’90s alternative to create classic indie rock that’s vital, varied, and intense.

This is a record full of surprises: a phone going off mid-song, hooks disguised as dissonance, slide guitar functioning as an extra melodic layer, and the baritone voice of the singer which, even it is not your default preference, you must admit is exactly the right one for this band.

Calling this band cool as hell still feels like underselling. Pre-order it at ever/never records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp