Since their inception, Now Now have always been a band teetering on the brink of major success, but never have had quite enough pull to peak the edges of widespread notoriety. That all changed when Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla took notice to the group and signed them to his label, Trans-Records. After label hopping through three EP’s, a full-length and a name change, the band trekked up to Canada to record their second full-length. Threads is the resulting record, a collection of tenderly concocted pop songs composed with a deliberate mind and a sincere heart, a record that finds the band reaching to the the peak of their young careers.

The formula hasn’t changed. If you loved them before, you’ll most certainly love them more now. Album opener “The Pull” displays the bands penchant for haunting hypnotic synth with vocalist Cacie Dalager leading in the track, armed with the vocoded recurring lines: “Find a thread to pull / and we can watch it unravel”. Dalager has always been among my favorite female vocalists due largely to the sensuality that always seems to drip from her soothing delivery. Songs like “School Friends” and “Magnet” cements her reputation, putting together some of the most heartbreaking moments she’s put to record to date.

Fans of the band surely have noted the marked rise in quality of their output starting with last years addition of guitarist/vocalist Jess Abbott. Abbott, who became a part of the band last year prior to the Neighbors EP, has brought in noticeable change, helping with songwriting and even sharing vocal duties with Dalager. “But I Do” shines as the most noticeable example of Abbott’s addition, as she provides complementary vocals to Dalager that make it seem they’ve been playing together for years.

It’s that sense of continuity that keeps Threads from going stale. From start to finish the album lacks any sort of filler, priding itself on quality over quantity (though I would argue clocking in with 12 songs it does both). In a recent interview Dalager said it best: “…everything about it was excruciating in a good way. Every little idea was worked to its best.” That attention to detail along with a growing sense of maturity is what will indefinitely set Threads apart as their crowning achievement moving forward, one that should fulfill the ears of longtime listeners and newcomers alike.

Threads is out March 6th via Trans Records. Preorders are currently available via iTunes

Visit Now, Now at their official website

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