Sane Boat/Boo!

Fans of Sloan and Belle & Sebastian will find plenty to love in the Little Brothers’ breezy power-pop. This release is ostensibly a compilation of two EPs, and while it’s tempting to think of the disc as one LP, the two halves’ distinct personalities begin to reveal themselves upon close listening. Sane Boat is a good deal more effervescent, flitting through tight, snappy gems like “Give Me a Call” and channeling early Apples In Stereo on “Inch Away.” Boo! is a few shades darker, and while the band retain their effortless melody on tracks like “Haunted House,” the most arresting showcase for their gifts is the uncharacteristically bleak stunner “Barbara.” Alternately menacing and elegiac, it’s as unforgettable a tune as you’re likely to hear all year, and an excellent indicator of the talent on display from this immensely likable band.