3 out of 5

Label: Polyvinyl

Produced by: Steven MacDonald, Anna Waronker

Do you miss the 90s?  Do you miss sweet, smart and snarky crunchy alterna-rock acts like That Dog?

Gawd, yes.  Did you just put on a That Dog album in a nostalgic panic?  Well, let that play through, by all means, but then pick up and play Tancred next.  Uncoincidentally produced by That Dog lead Anna Waronker and hubby Steven McDonald, what Tancred’s Jess Abbott may – as the sole vocalist – be lacking in harmonies in comparison to Waronker’s group, she makes up for with a dedication to shred: this is a group / performer in love with the riff and unafraid to wield it, track after track.

The whole thing is so slick and catchy as to be a bit mindless, for better or worse: for better in that you can tap your toe to this thing’s infectious melodies all day, but for worse in that it doesn’t really hang around for much conversation afterwards.  Abbott’s lyrics aren’t phone-in rhymes, but they’re also not far off a beaten path of livin’ life woes.  Which is fine: that’s sort of exactly what the disc needs to be, as it travels amidst the recognizable flanneled warmth of 90s grunge.

A really fun listen.