The Umbrellas - “Echoes”

I’ve written about the Bay Area’s burgeoning indie pop scene in the past. So, for the sake of brevity and to avoid repetition, just trust me when I tell you that it’s damn good. It’s the epicenter of the current genre boom with a bevy of acts making their mark in the area.

One such act is The Umbrellas, who’ve made their mark with a series of stellar 7-inch singles and their magnificent self-titled debut full-length. They’ll be kicking off 2024 with their sophomore long player, Fairweather Friend, which will feature the singles “Three Cheers!” and “Echoes,” the latter of which is our Song of the Week.

“Echoes” is jangly, but quite melancholic, reminding me of darker cuts from The Pastels’ catalog like “Dark Side of Your World” or “Sometimes I Think About You.” Like the latter, “Echoes” opens up to let a little brightness in during the choruses and the following bridge. The energy nicely ebbs and flows, mimicking the influx of emotion that the lyrics focus on.

Stream the track below.

You can pre-order Fairweather Friend on vinyl via Bandcamp. Keep up with The Umbrellas by following them on Instagram.