Yucca

Is it really 2011? Milk Maid makes me feel like it's sometime in the early 80's, with overtones of the late 50's, with their blend of fuzzed-out power-pop, gorgeous doo-wop harmonies, and simple-yet-timeless song structures. References such as Jesus & Mary Chain, Mercury Rev, Dandy Warhols, and John Lennon's solo work provide a touchstone but aren't entirely accurate by themselves. There is a lot going on here, in each song and in the album as a whole. Songwriter/vocalist Martin Cohen (formerly of Nine Black Alps) manages to sound as emotionally wrecked as Elliott Smith, as confident as Thurston Moore, and as lazily bewildered as Stephen Malkmus - at the same time - through a fantastic collection of love songs that may or may not be about love. Listening to `Yucca' is like having a dream about swimming in a deep, calm ocean and having the ability to breathe underwater so it never has to end.