Little Comets
Hope Is Just a State of Mind
(The Smallest Label)

Little Comets create the beautiful, harmonized indie rock that bands like OK Go and Mystery Jets made so popular in the early aughts. Hope Is Just a State of Mind, the band’s third album, shows a savviness for pop elements while infusing deeper meaning.

The falsetto vocals of “The Gift of Sound” work well to give the lyrics an imploring edge, pleading the listener to find the words about something that is important. “The Blur, the Line & the Thickest of Onions” is suitably subdued, with music that lulls and then swells in a cinematic fashion. The lyrics are a bold stance against frivolous music. So many lyrics stand out, but it takes real courage to call out Robin Thicke and Pharrell with words as explicit as “You write about a non-existent blurred line/But not about abortion rights.”

If there’s a fault to be found in Hope Is Just a State of Mind, it’s that the dance elements can sometimes overwhelm the message of the songs. “My Boy William” has a great beat and flourishing synth, but it’s easy to overlook how the lyrics are about admiration for his growing son. Likewise, “Wherewithal” sounds too fun for a song that is essentially about domestic violence. I love the message behind so much of Little Comets’ writing, but the vocals need to seize attention to really stand out.