“We believe that music should do more than just get stuck in your head — it should do something constructive while it’s in there.” For fans of progressive, artistic music, that’s a wonderful statement of intent by Bay-Area / Twin Cities indie duo The Ampersands, whose new album, Happy to Be Here, is out now via Bandcamp.

Singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Aaron McQuade and Jim Pace follow in a long line of greats dating back to the sixties, when bands such as The Beatles and The Beach Boys began striving to add art and ambition to popular music. It’s a ethos passed down through such greats as XTC, Talking Heads and Super Furry Animals – forward-thinking music which loses none of its accessibility and charm.

If you’re a fan of any of the above, The Ampersands are more than deserving of your time.