Yeti Boombox

This is the second full-length album by Brooklyn's Maplewood. When the band released their self-titled debut in 2004, it was as if a strong, hot Santa Ana wind had blown through New York's indie-rock scene. Here was a New York band that cast its eyes westward, toward the golden shores of California and - unusual for any band from Brooklyn - to the laidback legacies of the Beach Boys, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Bros., and CSNY. If fans of the members' previously well-received bands Nada Surf, Champale, and Koester were a bit thrown off by the breezy turn, it didn't take long for the harmony-heavy Maplewood sound to catch on. Now, Maplewood returns with Yeti Boombox, and the 12-song set picks up where Maplewood left off. Featuring amazing guest performances, this time from Gerry Beckley (America) and Alan Weatherhead (Sparklehorse), the atmosphere may be a little snowier, and the mood a little spacier, but the Maplewoodian hallmarks are all there: lush harmonies, shimmering guitars, evocative storytelling, and gorgeous soundscapes.