Huskies

Relationship drama doesn’t always have to play out to a complicated, overproduced soundtrack. In the case of Phoenix quartet Huskies’ debut EP, the good fight, straightforward instrumentation only intensifies the soul-baring. Front woman Natalie Espinosa sings about love, betrayal, regret and longing in a low, velvety voice, accompanied by upbeat acoustic guitar and Hammond organ melodies that are almost defiant in their optimism. On the upbeat opener, “All Things Good and Clean,” Espinosa repeatedly sings “You lied” with an aura of strength, not self-pity, while “Fireworks” sets the pace of moving on from a fizzled romance with a driving beat and simple guitar strum. Even when the lyrics are at their most vulnerable, like on “Dancing With Skeletons” (“What have I become? I can’t say I’m proud. There’s a monster in my house driving you away”), Huskies keep melancholy at bay with a folky dose of indie rock. And on the title track, where the organ simmers and a guitar groove heats up like asphalt, summer doldrums never sounded so sexy.