Duplomacy hasn't garnered as much attention as 2024 Records labelmates The Hopefuls and The Plastic Constellations and listening to the often gorgeous "All These Long Drives," it's easy to see why. While the punchy, flashy qualities of the other two bands immediately grab you by the lapels, Duplomacy's melodies unfold subtly and slowly.

This is music that tends to be described (and derided) as "shoegazer" rock; it swirls and purrs without lifting far off the ground. But the songs on "All These Long Drives" work their magic slowly and confidently, as if the band's members – Adam Egerdahl, Erik Dahl, Judd Hildreth and singer-guitarist Andy Flynn – trust the listener to find the best parts.

In an era of Arcade Fire-like extravagance and 30-member "collectives," bare-bones arrangements like those on "All These Long Drives" are refreshing. With crackling bass-snare alternations, bass guitar thumping out quarter notes and electric guitar played steadily on the higher frets, Duplomacy's melodies and lyrics are given room to breathe and, on some occasions, shine.

"Untitled (For Matt)" is the disc's best track. It starts plainly, with a simple pit-pat drum part. Then comes the chiming electric guitar previewing the song's great pop melody, followed by the melody itself. The only hair out of place, charmingly so, is a set of bells jingling randomly in the distance.

It doesn't get much more complicated than this on "All These Long Drives," and it never needs to. It's to Duplomacy's credit that nothing on this record sounds crowded, overproduced or unnecessary. While a slightly faster tempo could have better served some of these songs (which is why the sudden upshift in "Suicide" is such a pleasant surprise), the slow and spacious approach provides the perfect backdrop for a record so focused on emotional and physical distance.

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