Lo-fi indie rock. While vague, reading that description will make someone either roll their eyes or become immediately intrigued. To the eye rollers: Stop mid-roll and appreciate when it's done exceptionally well, like on this EP by New Jersey's Lake Effect.



The three-song format covers all the bases under the genre umbrella, which keeps the EP sounding fresh and diverse. Opener "Jungle Sweet" has a '90s alternative rock vibe with gritty guitars that bleed into each other and a bouncy bass line (especially during the outro). Keith Williams sounds downtrodden as he sings "Face down in a puddle of defeat/ Drink up âcause the kids are starving," but as a common theme throughout the EP, the dejected lyrics don't make the music depressing.



"I Like U (A Lot)" succeeds with a garage rock loud/soft dynamic. The self-deprecating lyrics ("You say I smoke too much pot/ And I probably do") couple well with a mournful take on Weezer-esque woo-oohs. EP closer "Dizzy Head" could even be considered pop-rock, hosting the album's cleanest vocals and twinkling guitar parts. The track takes an interesting left turn with a quirky final third that's unlike the rest of the song.



At nine minutes and the manageable price of free, there's no reason to not check out Genuine Bonds.



GENUINE BONDS by lkffct



