This may not be the first time around the musical block for Chicago power-pop rockers Pet Lions, but their latest album Houses sees the band flirt with a new atmospheric sound that borders on “chill wave,” while still maintaining their old identity.

Pet Lions is the child The Strokes and Phoenix should always have had. Houses showcases the best elements of the aforementioned rockers, danceable groovy pop with plenty of reverb but devoid of all that rough garage rock crunch. What we have here is a finely curated selection of smooth pop songs that – much like a merry-go-round – build up the suspense and then takes things down a notch.

Album opener “The English Room” is slow burner, stirring up the tension with plenty of reverberated guitar tones that linger much like frontman Karl Ostby’s vocals. The lyrics, “Must you leave oh so soon,” are giving us goodbyes before we’re properly introduced.

Houses exists in a world where we, the listeners, are the love ‘em and leave ‘em type. And Ostby isn’t having any of our shenanigans. On the track “When I Grow Old,” he repeatedly sings the demand, “Take me with you.” We might be willing to oblige this request. The track is the proper hello I would have desired to kick start the album. It is a far more bouncy, new wave-style affair than “The English Room” with its addictive looping guitar and backbeat.

“When I Grow Old”’s abrupt stop transitions into our next slow jam, the sway-inducing “Slow Wave.” Ostby’s voice is dripping with melancholy as he belts out “I always wanted you more than anything.” The song twinkles with plenty of keyboard and guitar.

The album continues on this up and down emotional coaster with Ostby’s vocals becoming more distant, like a lingering fog. That is, until Pet Lions launch into the happy fast-tempo jam “Trinidad,” which is full of “Ba-ba-ba’s” and groovy keyboard strokes.

Closing track “Thieves” manages to combine those previous up- and down-tempo numbers all into one groovy, jangly track. The first half has an introspective Ostby desiring another chance as he sings, “Maybe we could start it over.” But soon the atmosphere changes with a rush of echo-y guitars, a deep looping bassline and a flourish of keys. You can’t help but get up and twist along to the spacey rhythms.

Houses is a great foray into a new more layered sound for Pet Lions. The album proves that the band members are adept at creating a variety of song structures. However, the band is at its best when it is blasting out high-energy, danceable power pop. The more grooves the better.

Purchase Houses at Houses.PetLions.com.
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PET LIONS
10:00 p.m. Saturday, 5/14
Lincoln Hall, 2424 N Lincoln Ave
18+ $10.
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