Halifax’s Nap Eyes’ second album, Thought Rock Fish Scale, comes only a few months after the stateside release of their debut, Whine Of The Mystic. The band proudly wears its slack-rock influences on its sleeves—both early (The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed) and, well, less early (Pavement, Destroyer). Frontman Nigel Chapman is an honestly literate lyricist crafting phrases that accentuate boredom and self-doubt like on album highlight, “Stargazer,” “I don’t think twice when I do something nice/But I don’t do things like that very much.” Chapman’s lyrical perspective is accompanied by a band that knows how to take it slow and easy. There’s little sense of urgency on Thought Rock Fish Scale, but that’s not such a bad thing. Nap Eyes will be playing Union Pool on March 9.
