With their first three albums, San Francisco's
Cindy established their minimalist blend of slowcore and classic indie pop, one that sometimes seemed haunted by the ghosts of
Nico and
the Velvet Underground. Their self-titled debut featured a trio that was joined by keyboardist
Aaron Diko for their next two albums. Bandleader
Karina Gill changed up the approach to their next long-player,
Why Not Now?, which had her working on songs with
Diko, then opening up the recording process to a collective of area indie musicians, including members of
Flowertown (
Gill's other band),
April Magazine,
the Telephone Numbers,
Sad Eyed Beatniks, and several other groups. While the resulting album includes a couple of usually uptempo outings for the project, what hasn't changed is
Cindy's distinctively haunting sound, which remains hazily stark despite more hands in the pot. Opener "Why Not Now" will put fans of the band's prior albums at ease, with its languid amplified guitar lines, measure-marking bass and tambourine (no drums), and murmured, echoing vocals ("Yeah, you stopped by last night, but you couldn't stay/I pretend I have someplace to be, like you're in my way"). After an instrumental ("Standard Candle 3"), the energy picks up considerably -- if fleetingly -- on the 90-second "Earthly Belonging," which adds bouncy drums, vintage organ, and a '60s girl group feel without clarifying the murky atmosphere. When they pick up the pace again later, it's for the nearly-as-brief, midtempo, French-language bop "Et Surtout." The rest of
Why Not Now? sprawls, lost in thought, on the chaise lounge, including closer "St. Marks," which cranks up the humming amp before counting off another drums-free entry, this one with howling, off-key tones and a guest providing mirrored vocals for a double-tracked effect. Other touches here include distant whistling ("Playboy") and viola drone ("August") as part of an eerie yet catchy sound design that will likely leave those who are receptive to it wanting more. ~ Marcy Donelson
