The Invisible Invasion

Produced by Portishead’s Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley, this fourth record sees the Wirrall peninsula’s premier psych-crusaders nudging their established formula into bold, interesting new places. Yes, in the familiar drum kicks and jangling effortlessness of “In the Morning” they nod to both the nostalgia of classic Merseybeat and lead songwriter James Skelly’s own early triumphs. But whether it’s the freewheeling Americana of “Leaving Today” or “Cripples Crown”—with its howling guitar lines and horror movie imagery—the abiding feeling is of a band brimming with confidence and in command of their infectious weirdness.