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With a career-defining 2014 release already under his belt this year with New Bums’ Voices in a Rented Room, songwriter Donovan Quinn returns alongside longtime associate Glenn Donaldson for the first Skygreen Leopards album since 2009. On Family Crimes, the duo of Quinn and Donaldson revisit the sounds of past releases like the underrated Gorgeous Johnny and their humble opus Disciples of California. The major difference here is the overall bend toward prevailing indie sounds.
“Leave the Family” starts the record off strong with some *Byrds*-inspired jangle that runs alongside dark wave synths, creating a pleasing mix that sits pretty well when repeated. With “My Friends,” Quinn is able to express deeper feelings through lite pop frameworks reminiscent of tracks you would find on a Sarah Records comp. “Is it Love, Love, Love” is the album’s most successful track by far, marrying the Leopards’ lazy strum lure to the spirit of Skip Spence and his classic LP, Oar. “It’s Not Love” bounds the first half of the LP well enough with beachy strums and adrift vocals, but wanes a bit compared to it’s predecessors.
From here the album loses steam with the exception of “Selling T-Shirts,” which showcases the Leopards’ charming quirks and gives Quinn more leadway lyrically. Though the album stays frequently upbeat throughout, it does leave the listener missing the deeper vibes of past SGL records.
Lovers of all things Woodsist will find much to like on this record, as it contains a lot of sounds found on other releases by the label. But longtime fans and followers will need to approach Family Crimes with an open mind.
