PS Eliot
“Sadie”
(Salinas)

I think between PS Eliot, Bad Banana and Waxahatchee, it’s pretty safe to say that Katie Crutchfield is one of the most prolific (if not THE most) songwriters in today’s music scene. While PS Eliot’s debut album, “Introverted Romances in our Troubled Minds” revisited some of the Crutchfield sisters’ pop-laden hooks from The Ackleys, their sophomore record “Sadie” finds the quartet standing on pretty solid ground, finding a style to call their own.

Opening up with the keyboard-driven “Talk,” the band barrels through 40 minutes of fuzzy guitars, off-time drum parts and the occasional catchy chorus. Take, for example, “Shitty and Tragic” which has one of those melodic choruses I’ve ever heard. That song will get stuck in your head for days. Then there’s “Diana,” a somber tune that takes a break from the distorted guitars before breaking into the Dinosaur Jr-esque “Dead Letters.”

PS Eliot is one of the new crop of bands that lifts a lot of influence from 90s northwest/K Rec groups, which shows up all over “Sadie,” but they’re able to steer in a comfortable direction while owning the sound as their own. This album in particular finds Katie Crutchfield singing in some distinct ranges, at times breath-y, but most times caustic. It’s not as poppy as their last release, but it’s definitely already on my short list of best records of the year.

— Ryan Pangilinan