Parquet Courts - Light Up Gold (What's Your Rupture?)

Parquet Courts is the “side band” of Fergus & Geronimo, but about the only real difference between the two is that Light Up Gold is more of a rock record, as opposed to the general weirdness of their other project. Less silly and more witty, their humor has matured greatly here, and when paired with a sound that’s equal part Jonathan Richman, Pavement, and even a little Sonic Youth, Light Up Gold is an awesome little record with plenty of charms. I’m particularly fond of “Stoned and Starving,” a driving groove that’s a little bit Velvets, a little bit Sonic Youth, and a whole lotta funny, as the song describes walking down a Brooklyn street…yep, you guessed it, starving and stoned. “Master of My Craft” may seem like a boast, but they make a good case for it here; these songs are quick, catchy, and enjoyable—the work of master craftsmen. While Fergus & Geronimo is most definitely an acquired taste, Parquet Courts is a surprisingly palpable record.