Real Estate

For a second time, New Jersey’s Real Estate has delivered a faultless set of dreamy, guitar pop gems. Everything on this sophomore effort sounds tighter, crisper and clearer, without losing any of the easygoing charm of the 2009 debut. The most immediate draw is, once again, the impeccable guitar playing; the dual work of Matthew Mondanile and Martin Courtney is reminiscent of the venerable 1980s Glasgow label Postcard Records, with its pristine jangle and built-in nostalgia. The young members of Real Estate have proven themselves masters of pacing and, with more discernible lyrics this go-round, exquisitely sensitive to the small details.