Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics (Bonus Track Version)

iTunes Review

Matthew Mondanile isn’t the only child of the ‘80s with a VHS-like view of the world, but he’s certainly one of the most confident. And by that, we don’t mean the Ducktails frontman/Real Estate guitarist is arrogant by any means. More like self-assured and completely carefree, as if he were born and raised by a pack of surfers on the sandy shores of California. The twist? He’s a total Jersey boy who grew up in the suburbs, about an hour and a half from the boardwalk Snooki and the Situation have since colonized. The separation makes total sense, though. In a lot of ways, it explains the lingering sense of sadness and longing for simpler times that characterizes most of Mondanile’s music. Especially this album, his most fully realized pop record to date, from simple but effective verse/chorus combos (“Hamilton Road,” “Art Vandelay”) to a stunning 10-minute closer (“Porch Projector”) that channels slow-burning chords alongside firework finales from far too long ago. Nostalgia rarely feels this natural.