A quick glance at the cover of the Redwalls’ sophomore album and you may think that another British invasion is underway. Clad in three-piece suits and coiffed like The Beatles, the Redwalls give the illusion of European Cool. But, one spin of De Nova and it’s apparent that the Redwalls are more complex than first glance may assume. Hailing from Chicago, the four-piece refuses to confine themselves to a particular sound, spanning soulful ‘60s tributes, introspective ballads, harmonic pop interjections, and classic rock-out moments in less than 50 minutes.

It’s easy to catch yourself singing along to many De Nova’s songs. In “Thank You”, the band infuses pop melodies, catchy riffs, and a horn section, practically forcing you to hum the song for the rest of evening. Adding a bit of social commentary, “Glory Of War” and “Falling Down” critique military advertising, war, government lies, and political censorship. “In times like these, you better watch what you say/ watch them take your fucking rights away….” sings lead vocalist Logan Baren.

A solid major label debut, De Nova is just the start of what looks like a promising career for the Redwalls. No scheduled Commodore date yet… but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.