Bitch Prefect, Bird Nerds (side A)

2013's Bird Nerds is the second album from Australian trio Bitch Prefect.  Referentially, they fall somewhere between the splattery mess of Perfect Sound Forever-era Pavement and the concise, strummy pop of the early Television Personalities records.  The songs do not chase TVP's rave-up punk rock energy, and generally sit more at mid-tempo.  While the understated melodies are very well thought out and crafted, the songs float naturally through verses and choruses, without some of the surprises that made their historical antecedents so special.  The lack of attention to the musical performances contributes to Bitch Prefect's charm — the falling-apart quality is casual, and seems like it would be part of every take.  The vocals do seem like they'd benefit from more careful takes, though the first-take quality is charming, with even the flagrant notes feeling natural and unproblematic.  The mixes fit a modern lo-fi aesthetic, with particularly bright and chime-y recordings of guitars unlike anything in early Television Personalities or early Pavement.  The mastering disappoints me a bit, as the kick drum on some songs just leaps out unnaturally, and would benefit from being tamed, especially to match the more conservative mixes.  The museum-like design of the front cover emphasizes Bitch Prefect's levity, with the cover printed on impressively thick reverse-stock paper.