Los Campesinos!

Despite its title, Los Campesinos!’s much-buzzed-about sophomore release is anything but boring. Much like their debut record, Romance Is Boring is brimming with layered vocals, sing-along ready builds, cacophonous synths, and sunny avant pop. The eccentric nine-piece, known for their raucous live shows and the fact that they’ve each changed their last name to “Campesinos!,” embodies everything great about experimental indie pop. Here, the notion of minimalism is thrown out the window just seconds into the album’s lead track, “In Medias Res,” and doesn’t let up until the mid-album breakdown of “Who Fell Asleep In.” It’s there where frontman Aleks Campesinos! breaks down the band to their twee-pop roots, singing an earnest a capella before slowly allowing his bandmates to build things back up to their instrumentally over-the-top roots. The result is a swell of musical emotion that tugs at the heartstrings even as it gets the toes tapping. And that most certainly deserves an exclamation.