Sacred Bones Records release Constant Smiles' new LP, Paragons. Since its live debut as a noise duo on founding member Ben Jones' home of Martha’s Vineyard in 2009, Constant Smiles has grown to include contributions from 50 other members, all of whom have personal connections to the group’s extended family...

Paragons is the sound of a well established outfit honing their skills to the finest of fine points.

The songs on Paragons (13 tracks - 36 min, 38 sec) range from psych-pop to bittersweet, piano-and string-accented strummers. Through its recent forays into dream pop and shoegaze (Control) and synth-pop (John Waters), Constant Smiles has learned how to incorporate its experimental inclinations more fluidly into the mix.

Tracks like 'Where am I Now?' are steeped in '90s indie pop - a little James-esque. And it's this shifting of styles and time period influences that keep the music fresh and intoxicating.

This is one of those albums that you'll put on, play to death for months... File away and then rediscover in years to come and play to death again.

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Nick Smithson