Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s
Slingshot To Heaven
(Mariel Recording Company)

Slingshot To Heaven marks the fifth studio release for Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, and its quite fantastic. The indie rock collective recorded the album on two-inch tape, and completely self-produced the record in the band’s home studio.

Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s, primarily the work of singer-songwriter Richard Edwards, has transformed from a chamber pop group to an indie rock outfit, without losing their distinctive sound. They bounce back and forth between their related styles throughout the record. Despite a variation in tone, Slingshot To Heaven is unified by its underlying theme of melancholy.

Lyrically, the record is more straightforward than previous releases. “When You’re Gone” explores a frank and clear depiction of one manner in which one can mourn the absence of their significant other. It’s not laden with heavy metaphors, but is concise and poignant.

The highlight of the album is “Hello, San Francisco,” which drips with yearning vocals, haunting melodies, and breezy guitar riffs floating between heavily layered arrangements. The conversational piece is brilliantly executed.