Hidden Pictures showcases a retro sound that emphasizes crafty hooks and boy-girl harmonies. Comparisons to bands like Belle and Sebastian and She & Him are inevitable with coed vocals at the forefront, but the band’s vinyl vault also pays heed to tunesmiths like Big Star and the Kinks as well as modern masters like Wilco and the Shins. The Kansas City band’s debut LP Synchronized Sleeping features a dozen “damn near perfect pop songs” with wide-ranging dynamics. Read more on