The Hang Ups: So We Go

When you consider how light and inoffensive The Hang Ups' music is, it's frustrating to see the Twin Cities pop band waiting an inexplicable three years to release a second album. But fans of the sweet, gorgeous He's After Me won't be disappointed by the gentle melodiousness of So We Go; despite the excessively Byrds-esque "Walkin' Around," the new album is consistently hummable, tension-free and virtually impossible to dislike. What separates The Hang Ups from countless other harmless pop/rock bands is the easygoing pace and shimmering clarity of its songs: So We Go ambles and slowly swoons, and though it's as jangly as anything, there's a stately elegance to songs like "The Entry" and the softly harmonious title track. Those looking for music to augment their anguished, rage-filled existence would do well to look elsewhere, but this amiable record will be a refreshing springtime treat for just about everyone else.