Heavy Mood

On Heavy Mood, Tilly & The Wall go widescreen with their message of self-liberation, evoking everything from ‘60s girl-group sounds to ‘80s Britpop while keeping true to their outsider spirit. From the start, the Omaha-bred combo has spoken up for alienated youth with a cheeky, chain-yanking sense of rebellion. The title tune rides a souped-up Motown groove to drive home its assertions of freedom, while the rousing “Love Riot” fuses twang-laden guitar with tribal rhythms. There are anthems galore here, with “Thicker Than Thieves” (an ode to female solidarity set to an electronic beat) and “Defenders” (an urgent war cry matched with a children’s choir) striking particularly stirring notes. Things cool down on ballads like the sleek “Echo My Love” and the echo-bathed “Hey Rainbow,” balancing spikier tracks like the sweet yet menacing “All Kinds of Guns.” Whether ruminating or celebrating, Tilly & The Wall don’t lose their quirky cachet or commitment to shameless melodic hooks. Heavy Mood teases and tweaks the listener, but ultimately it delivers as mind-expanding, body-grabbing music.