Lines & Color features a brief introductory note on the reverse by one of the Lucksmiths, and this fact alone gives a lot of insight into the band’s aims — as their name implies, Kissing Book’s indie pop sound eschews catchy jangle in favor of near-cloyingly sweet and occasionally goofy acoustic-based (or clean electric) pop. Of course, this sort of childlike earnestness tends to irritate those outside of the insular twee pop scene, but that makes very little difference — Jen Sbragia of the equally cuddly Softies drops in on guitar and background vocals, Kissing Book tosses out well-crafted and unassumingly pleasant tunes, and the album manages to both polished and bedroom-indie intimate at the same time, making for a release that will surely delight every popkid who’s ever donned a shirt with a kitten on the front. – Nitsuh Abebe
more »