Pink Mountaintops – Outside Love

Stephen McBean rocks the psyche in his main gig, Black Mountain, but it’s harder to label what he does on his less raucous side-project, Pink Mountaintops. Outside Love has the same oddly 1950’s points of reference touched upon by bands like The Raveonettes or the Jesus and Mary Chain, though to say they sounded like either would be a misnomer; it’s a similarity that doesn’t suggest the depth of the Pink Mountaintops’ influences. An assortment of at least a dozen musicians can be found working with McBean, including Sophie Trudeau (A Silver Mt. Zion), each lending a layer to lush yet oddly lo-fi arrangements. Outside Love is one of those records that grows stronger with every spin, and every time McBean’s romantic laments buzz blissfully in your head, it’s a more pleasant experience than the last.