Guards: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Guards’ music captures the pop sound of the late ’50s and early ’60s, but with more power and polish. It’s hard not to hear a bit of Buddy Holly’s melody and spirit — think 1958’s “Rave On“ — when you hear Guards play “Silver Lining,“ the first song in this Tiny Desk Concert. But I also hear a contemporary band like Cults, a band inspired by ’60s dreaminess and power pop, when I hear Guards. When I first saw this group in concert, I was struck by its physical similarity to Cults: a whole lot of long black hair, for starters, with a man and woman at the front of each band. It all made sense when I learned that Richie Follin of Guards and Madeline Follin of Cults are brother and sister, and that Richie played guitar in Cults for a bit. In fact, the first set of songs he wrote and demoed were meant for Cults. Earlier this year, Guards’ first album came out, titled In Guards We Trust. These are sturdy pop songs with hooks that build and won’t let go. And the band’s Tiny Desk Concert is a great way to hear Guard