© 2023 WFAE
90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations

Army Navy: Candy In Song Form

Anyone who remembers Zotz — those oddly effervescent candies that released a slightly delayed fizz over time — ought to appreciate Army Navy's "Unresponsive Ears." The song starts out sweet and subtle before dissolving into a Posies- and Teenage Fanclub-style tsunami of melody and distortion that underscores the youthful essence of power-pop in all its bittersweet glory.

Justin Kennedy has a bite to his voice that keeps his surroundings from getting overly saccharine, and he and his bandmates build effortlessly to a soaring bridge, dipping down gracefully into the sing-along chorus before unfurling a long instrumental fadeout. It's a brave stroke to devote that much of a perfect pop song to a lengthy interlude — even if it's one that swells to new heights before disappearing into the ether — but Army Navy remains bewitchingly engaging until the end.

Listen to yesterday's Song of the Day, and subscribe to the Song of the Day newsletter.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Tags
Barbara Mitchell