Kincaid Plays Super Hawaii

Kincaid’s brand of buoyant pop crossbreeds late-’90s emocore with elements of twee pop, expanding the band’s varied influences into originality. The result is like taking Death Cab for Cutie and adding the retro production aesthetic of Robert Schneider. This heaping mix works to sublime perfection on songs like “Keskesay” and “Parachute,” but the combination is too precarious to sustain for an entire record. Most of the time one of the styles dominates, and the lion’s share of the album falls into the clichés of either genre. Overall, this record is worth looking at for Elephant 6 or emo fans, and is an enjoyable but unessential listen for most. – Ari Wiznitzer