Hugh J Noble's last album, "The Beach Boy", was only a solo album out of necessity (you know, isolation & social distancing, etc), but the second lp from his band, Slum Summer, doesn't just pick up where "ABABO" left off - it surpasses it with ease. And even though Hugh's songwriting style tends to be fairly low-key, you can still hear the renewed spirit and sense of vigor from the band throughout the album, as if these songs had been itching to come out for years. Musically-speaking, the band's sound still reminds me a lot of Hefner, Wave Pictures and Ashtray Boy, but as I listen to this album more, I'm also getting notions of the Mountain Goats, mostly due to Hugh's rather unique voice and lyrics that are more like stories rife with specific imagery and locations - not to mention the intensity with which he sings songs like "Northern Research Station". An excellent sophomore album!

Not limited. All songs written by Hugh J Noble. Available digitally on Bandcamp.