Made In America - GENERATIONALS, "Heza" (2013)

Last week we brought you Dumb Numbers, the super group that tread heavily into early grunge inching their way into near doom territory. That fit the mood I was in last week. Lately I've been in the mood for some tuneage of the poppier variety and Generationals scratches that itch nicely.

Heza, out on Polyvinyl Records is the third album released by the New Orleans, Louisiana based duo. Fans of the T.V. show Grey's Anatomy might know Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer's former band The Eames Era. After the breakup of The Eames Era, the two remaining members formed Generationals in 2009.

It would be easy to write Generationals off  as just another 80's New Wave influenced indie pop band but there's a lyrical depth present that allows their songs to burrow just a little deeper into your head. There's also a maturity and greater emphasis on song craft on Heza that goes beyond their previous albums. Yes, Generationals still writes catchy-as-hell songs that in the past bordered on overly sweetened but Heza moves them out of the Camera Obscura and Of Monsters and Men league and moves them up into the Vampire Weekend and Phoenix league.