Paper Dolls

The Brunettes have a meticulous craft in the studio. Writing pop songs, that most fickle of forms, requires a precision that comes naturally to the band, and their records ring perfection in every note.

Their sense of fun firmly intact, The Brunettes inject their new batch of songs with a sense of modernity on Paper Dolls. Opener "In Colours" and closer "Thank You" are the entrance and exit into this world, as both sit comfortably with previous efforts; in between, however, principal songwriter Jonathan Bree augments his pop leanings with drum machines and an intimidatingly wide array of synths to fantastic effect.

Lyrically, the album combines clever call-and-response levity, an undercurrent of smoldering romance, and a penchant for idiosyncratic storytelling. A concise 35 minutes, Paper Dolls reaffirms the glory of a simple melody.