Released last fall, Army Navy’s self-titled debut is one of the most welcomed breaths of fresh air the power-pop genre has seen in years. With breezy (yet never lightweight) songs such as “Slight of Hand” and “Silvery Sleds,” the LA-based band sounds not unlike a less sunny—but no less catchy—Apples In Stereo. Army Navy lead singer Justin Kennedy played with Ben Gibbard in pre-Death Cab for Cutie project Pinwheel, so he’s had plenty of practice in constructing charming melodies. And they haven’t forgotten the importance of a fun video; witness their clips for “Dark As Days” (with Human Giant’s Paul Scheer) and the toddler’s-eye-view “Saints.”
Thu., June 25, 8 p.m., 2009
