CD Reviews: Real Estate

New Jersey indie-guitar outfit Real Estate's third album is an interesting mix of assured songwriting and almost understated performance, a place where a dreamy vocal approach means melodies are delicately poised atop a framework of clean electric guitars and a rhythm section seemingly intent on avoiding any fancy time signatures.

Employing a live ethos in the studio, helped by producer Tom Schick (Low, Rufus Wainwright), the band has eschewed any grandstanding in favour of presenting each song as logically as possible. Fans of distorted guitar solos should definitely look elsewhere.