Baltimore’s best surprisingly top their quietly sparkling No Straight Lines. Sweethearting ups the ante over that and two older, four-track LPs leader Austin Stahl made in his home studio, behind production so lush, firm, and warm, it takes over rooms. (Well done, TJ Lipple and Chad Clark, and wise choice partly recording at D.C.’s indie-legendary Inner Ear.) Elements of Fables of the Reconstruction R.E.M. (that place where folk-pop meets highly crafted, gorgeous guitar pop), Elliott Smith, ’00s Teenage Fanclub (Stahl’s voice sounds like Smith and Gerry Love’s again, on “Temporary Homes”), and newly, Let’s Active, are heard. The quintet displays maturity, making such a well-arranged LP in five days, yet including those little lovable touches — Radiohead “No Surprises” bells, Marian Glebes’ backing vocals, and on the standout, the quiet Shins-like “Down Waterview,” discreet background organ and oceans-deep piano. Recommended again. – Jack Rabid
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