Submarine Bells went to No. 1 in The Chills' homeland of New Zealand and received a fair amount of promotion and radio play in the U.S., especially on college radio. The appropriately titled “Heavenly Pop Hit” should have been an even bigger calling card for the band, but this entire album’s consistency makes it difficult to single out a particular moment. For a group that generally resisted the album format in favor of singles, The Chills achieved a masterful flow throughout Submarine Bells, with the help of producer Gary Smith. Much of the credit is due to Martin Phillipps’ excellent songwriting and the backing band’s unswerving devotion to serving the songs. Drummer James Stephenson and bassist Justin Harwood bring songs like “The Oncoming Day” and “Familiarity Breeds Contempt” a nasty propulsion, while keyboardist Andrew Todd colors songs such as “Effloresce and Deliquesce” and “Don’t Be—Memory” with a beauty that’s matched by the indelible melodies.