STUMPS
All Our Friends
COOKING VINYL
Driven by slick and summery, ultra‑jangly guitar leads, shimmery synths and soulful vocal hooks that belt far beyond the foreground, Stumps have rung a dismal year out with a well‑earned dose of over-the-top ebullience.
Even in its most reflective points (like the aptly gloomy “2020”), the Sydney trio make it hard not to have toes tapping or shoulders swaying – and when they kick into full force on power-pop epics like “I’ve Had Enough” and “Daffodils”, dancing in your seat like a total maniac is absolutely mandatory.
Of course, we’d be remiss not to note how candidly earnest the record is beneath its bouncy, bombastic veneer – All Our Friends is a retro-tinged indie-rock epic with equal parts heart and spirit, and plenty of both to share.