The ’90s indie revival has gotten to such a level of saturation that you’d be forgiven for overlooking the bands on its fringes. But take a quick minute to dig the sounds that New Jersey trio Overlake is putting to tape. The familiar influences are all accounted for: Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Yo La Tengo. But the group’s upcoming record, Sighs, out in April via Killing Horse, plays like a bizarro version of the blown-out dream-pop of Kevin Shields and company. Songs like “Back to the Water” push the fuzz to the background, while frontman Tom Barrett’s shimmering guitar and hushed vocals sit defiantly up front. Overlake’s music won’t win any awards for originality, but there is something about it that hits a very specific sweet spot.
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