The Front Bottoms strip back the full-band arrangements on Ann, a six-track EP recorded at Lakehouse in Asbury Park with co-production from Tom Warren. Brian Sella's talk-sung vocals sit closer to the mic than usual, backed by acoustic guitar, cello, violin and the occasional trumpet line. The songs still pivot on his conversational phrasing and left-turn melodies, but the space around them makes the writing more obvious. Some tracks benefit. Others feel like demos waiting for drums.
The choir of local music students on Tie Dye Dragon adds texture without tipping into sentiment, and Jenn Fantaccione's strings give Today Is Not Real a lift it would not have alone. Pale Beneath The Tan (Squeeze) works as a sketch. I Think Your Nose Is Bleeding does not quite justify its length without a rhythm section to lean on. If you already know the band's studio albums this will make sense as an aside. If you are new, start with the louder stuff first.
