Chase Weinacht and Josh Halpern released three EPs as Marmalakes at the beginning of the decade. Then they went back to their regular musical jobs (and, one assumes, their regular paying jobs). And now, eight years after kicking out their first EP, the boys return with a full length.

Marmalakes Please Don't Stop (Austin Town Hall)

All the obvious cliches apply. I'll just say that if these boys want to wait eight years so that each album can be as wonderful as this one, that's fine by me. This may be a duo, but the sound is much fuller. There are elements of indie garage pop in the vaguely open and spare sound, but Marmalakes put in enough muscle to shove aside the relatively thin sound of 80s major label indie stuff.

Part of that is the spectacular recording revolution of the past 20 years (or so). Part of that is that these guys have first-hand memories of those old sounds, and they know how to give them much more life. The songs don't hew to any particular canon, but rather prick the ears with a suave anarchy. There are just enough unexpected turns to keep ears on edge.

And just enough conventional indie rock to soothe. Marmalakes aren't out to reinvent a god damned thing. This is just two guys playing more-than-solid stuff. Stuff that sounds great. Take your time, boys. This one's a winner.

Jon Worley