Born in the hotbed that is the New York scene, the Big Apple’s latest act to have the hopes, dreams and expectations of fans and press alike placed on their shoulders are duo QTY. Refugees from the well thought-of garage/country punk outfit Grand Rapids, Alex Niemetz and Dan Lardner’s self-titled debut is a ten-track salvo of evergreen guitar-based indie. It gamely shrugs off any perceived pressure, whilst delivering in considerable style.

Buoyed by the production talents of ex-Suede guitarist Bernard Butler – who has assembled quite the CV over the years since departing the Britpop maestroes –QTY is stuffed with punchy indie rockers (‘Rodeo,’ ‘Word For This’) and scuzzy, pop-minded swooners (‘Michael,’ ‘New Beginnings’). There’s an undeniable Strokes influence on much of the material and Lardner’s laconic croon is Casablancas-esque.

However, the chemistry is such that the music sounds fresh and new. There’s also a welcome hint of darkness on some efforts (“And I’ve heard time heals all wounds/ I never knew even time could bruise” observes their singer on ‘Sad Poetics’), adding spice to the sugary slacker anthems in the making. In short, believe the hype.
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Rating: 8/10