Indie gems are always a pleasure to stumble upon, and Chimchango is one of those delightful discoveries. This indie album, though filled with both highs and lows, has a charm that keeps you engaged throughout. It’s a mixed bag of emotions—every song has something to love, but often something to dislike as well. At times, the vocals are too distorted, yet the music itself shines, and at other moments, the vocals are spot-on while the music feels a bit flat or uncatchy. The album walks this fine line between frustration and enjoyment, creating an interesting yet unpredictable listening experience.

Take, for example, the track "Sunday Mourning." The singer delivers a strong, distorted vocal performance that throws off the otherwise catchy and infectious vibe of the song. While the band’s grimy, low-fi recording quality is a nice touch, clearer vocals could have elevated the track and made it more satisfying. Other tracks, like "Fucked Up (DaDaDa)," "Good Things," and "That’s What She Said," suffer from similar issues where the vocals don’t quite match the tone of the music or fall into muddled distortion. These songs would have benefited from more refined vocal work, as it would have brought out their full potential.

In contrast, the track "Flowers" features a strong vocal performance, but here, the issue lies with the drums, which are buried in the mix. This makes it difficult to appreciate the rhythms that could have complemented the vocals more effectively. In fact, the problem of buried drums is prevalent across much of the album, though there are exceptions. Tracks like "Water Me," "There It Isn’t," and "Goodnight, Little" manage to showcase the drums in a more prominent way, and interestingly, these songs also feature stronger vocal performances. This could suggest that the balance between the drums and vocals is key to making these tracks hit harder.

The bass on Chimchango is a pleasant surprise. Throughout the album, it maintains a high level of quality, always complementing the music rather than blending into the background. On songs like "Good Things," the bass is deep and thick, adding weight to the overall sound, while on tracks like "Legna," it takes a more subtle approach, providing a nice contrast to the more forward elements of the mix.

However, the guitar work doesn’t always hold up to the standard set by the bass. At times, the guitars feel out of tune or slightly off, which can make them sound rough around the edges. Despite this, they still manage to carry a catchy, if imperfect, vibe. The acoustic guitars, especially on "Goodnight, Little C," offer a refreshing moment, with their clean, strong presence giving the track an uplifting, light feel.

One of the more interesting aspects of the album is the use of synths and clips from the band’s friends recording the album, which help to create a cozy, intimate atmosphere. These elements make the album feel familiar and personal, drawing listeners into its soundscapes. They give the album a whimsical, almost homemade quality that enhances its charm.

Unfortunately, there is one track that doesn’t quite live up to the album's overall vibe: "Previously, on Next Time." This song encapsulates many of the issues present throughout the album, but on a larger scale. With a long runtime, it suffers from flat vocals, jarring style shifts, and a lack of cohesion. While it does get groovier toward the end, it feels like a slog to get through, leaving listeners relieved when it finally ends.

Overall, Chimchango shows a lot of potential, even though it is marred by overuse of distorted vocals and some production issues. Despite these shortcomings, the album is full of moments that demonstrate the band’s ability to craft catchy, playful, and endearing indie tracks. It’s a charming, whimsical record that, when it hits the mark, shows just how much promise this band has.