Stereo Night

Matt Wilson and John Munson — one half of the legendary Minneapolis combo Trip Shakespeare — rekindle their old magic under the guise of the Twilight Hours on Stereo Night. The duo serves up melodically rich pop/rock with bursts of astringent electric guitar to temper the sweetness of their acoustic-based sound. Wilson remains a sly, sophisticated tunesmith, though the cheeky innocence he displayed with his former band has gained some rueful maturity with time. His soaring upper vocal range (bolstered by Munson’s deeper tones) elevates romantic tunes like “Yes,” “My Return” and “Never Mine to Lose” to aching heights. Stereo Night shows a pronounced Beach Boys influence, particularly in the choir-like harmonies of “Winter Blue” and the keening falsetto moves of “Stay With You.” While the primary emotions here range from wistful to forlorn, “Queen of Tomorrow” lets Wilson and Munson loosen up with a playful story about a fickle rock-singer girlfriend. All told, the Twilight Hours render their music with a sincere, warm spirit and careful attention to fine pop-craft.