Review: The Aislers Set – The Last Match (reissue)

If the Aislers debut was a taste of where pop had been and where it was going, 2000s’ The Last Match is a banquet feast of perfect pop proportion—it’s a sunshine–filled, records-in-the-park picnic resonating with vintage sock-hop riffs, organ-grinding melody, gently dusting sleigh bells and harmonious vocals—a brilliant interpretation of indie pop gone well. Standouts include the glittering “One Half Laughing” and the pogo-pop of “The Red Door,” an energetic The Jesus and Mary Chain–meets–Spector pop song crammed with little bursts of noise-pop frenzy. “Chicago New York” and “Lonely Side of Town,” sung by Wyatt Cusack, have all the soft strum of ace Belle & Sebastian tunes, while the whole record saw Amy Linton swimming comfortably, with more ambition and greater scope. The Last Match is a true pop gem—and it’s a joy that we’re seeing a vinyl reissue from the band’s original home, Slumberland. –Christian Schultz