For the most part, rock music tends to portray places like Secret Cities' homebase of Fargo, N.D., as stifling, creativity-crushing hellholes that are valued only as sights in one's rearview. It's no wonder that the Midwest harbors a ton of bands shot through with desperation and urgency, but what's instantly notable about Secret Cities' debut, Pink Graffiti, is how it unintentionally mirrors flyover country's pace of life despite never mentioning it by name: it's unhurried, friendly, and welcoming of anyone who chooses to stop by, without being particularly pushy.
That's not to say it's lazy or lacks urgency. But as a whole, Secret Cities' aesthetic harkens to a more relaxed time in indie rock, away from its buzzy and busy synth-heavy present and relentless conveyance of new music. Secret Cities all but send mash notes to the 90s rosters of K, Merge, or Matador throughout this record. As with the earlier work of similarly minded throwbacks like LAKE or the Rosebuds, Secret Cities manage to make chipper co-ed harmonies, acoustic jangle, and toy-like instrumental accents sound damn near subversive in their innocence. On swinging opener "Pink City", Charlie Gokey sings, "we had a lot to say, but it would take all day," a pretty accurate mission statement for an album that's got all manner of instrumental bric-a-brac but never really makes a point of stressing its bustle. I suppose that a song called "Slacker" is a bit too on-the-nose considering Pink Grafitti's ambling vibe, but indeed, the best moments aren't usually set to words and often feel effortless: It's hard to imagine the sighing chorus on the skittering "Color" or the whistled melody that ties "Boyfriends" together coming from an arduous studio session as opposed to a front porch, while rippled piano instrumental "Wander" is a spot-on tribute to the Microphones' The Glow, Pt. 2.
But as down-to-earth as Secret Cities can be, at points you wish they'd be more direct: "Vamos a La Playa" and "The End" play so loosely, they border on disintegration, rounding out Pink Graffiti in overly cloudy manner, both sonically and lyrically. It's something of a disappointment since they can flex intriguing muscles-- see the fuzzed guitar soloing of "Aw Rats" or the insistent thump of "Pink Graffiti Part 1". So while Pink Graffiti might be the sound of a young group still trying to figure themselves out, you can forgive Secret Cities for not coming on too strongly. I suppose that's just in accordance with their ol'-fashioned values.
