THE NEW LINES are simply one of the best pop bands that I have heard in a good long while. And pop as pertains to these guys is of the expansive variety, of the richest type of tapestry. Lush is a word that I am sure the band themselves must have been shooting for, and hit the target they did. If THE NEW LINES made their music more boring: say by taking away all the synths that lurk near the front of many of their songs, or by not delving into psych/prog passages or travelling down the experimental corridors which they do most surely travel down, then maybe they would be famous. I hope that doesn’t happen though. This Princeton, NJ band’s most recent release is a cassette called WITCH’S MILK and it is just as good as the amazing full length that preceded it ALL THAT WE SEE AND SEEM with its synth buzz, and getting proggy classic pop moments. “La Réciprocité” off of WITCH’s MILK lays a sweet croon across a reverb slathered shifting organ rhythm and an ever present bubbling bass. This song glides along majestically, pulling you further and further in as it wears on. Some chiming guitars round things out, the whole thing absolutely inviting you to press repeat. Beautiful, pretty much essential modern pop music if you do that kind of thing. We here do.

-DS