The World is Real

It’s tempting to say that LAKE’s fourth album marks the band's coming of age as a mature indie pop act. There’s a tighter focus and attention to hooks on The World Is Real, leavening the album’s quirkier aspects. But the elements of the Olympia, Wash.–based combo’s current approach have always been present in their deceptively mild-mannered music, making this project not so much a departure as a fulfillment of their earlier potential. LAKE’s combination of dreamy folk, sleek jazz, and pop harmonies has rarely sounded as accessible as it does here. As before, the band draw on various ‘60s and ’70s influences, veering from the Fleetwood Mac mellowness of “Do You Recall” to the layered psychedelia of “Bury the House” and the airy funk of “Combat Culture” without stumbling. Slowly unfolding arrangements give “Go Back” and the title tune an almost prog-rock feel, while “In the Stubborn Eyes of the Demon” has a brooding austerity. Of special note is “Takin’ My Time,” a sultry love duet that blends innocence with suavity. LAKE’s grown-up confidence only adds to their appeal.