Lancaster Transit (http://www.lancastertransit.org) could be best described as the Postal Service with a chick. Certainly the shared elements are there -- the lo-fi keyboards, the sparse arrangements, the tinny, clattering percussion, and the soft, subdued vocals. However, Lancaster Transit have more ambition and talent than being an imitation. Instead of being viewed as copycats, Lancaster Transit should be seen as a group simply capturing the moment, the current state of the American indie-pop world.
I say American because this kind of style is not too fashionable here in England, wherein young lads take a more aggressive, post-punk approach. Only Yanks seem to able to get away with twee stuff such as this. "Entropy" opens the record with that unmistakable Postal Service vibe. The synthesizers sound like video-game blips and the backbeat offers a trip-hop rhythm. Melissa Lancaster's vocals are charming and sweet in their simplicity; imagine Ladytron with more heart. "Carried Away" builds up gradually, introducing itself with a slow tempo that eventually kicks in to a positive, engaging hook.
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"Aliens and Strangers" is a record that gets better as it proceeds, the complete opposite of many albums these days which burn up halfway through. "Waiting" is among the best cuts on the record, moving forward at a joyful pace. The dynamic duo - Zach Gannon is the Robin to Lancaster's Batman - like to mix in acoustic guitars with the keyboards, and they're downright pretty on "Lullaby, Pt. 1." In fact, just about everything is lovely on "Aliens and Strangers," the perfect summer disc.
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