Forest Fire never quite catches

On “Staring At The X,” Brooklyn up-and-comers Forest Fire blaze a sometimes captivating trail that fails to make a lasting impression. 

The explosive “Born Into” is the kind of enormous and ear-grabbing leadoff track that most bands only dream of, but it also promises an immediacy that the rest of the album rarely delivers.

Forest Fire put its own spin on Nurses’ brand of weird pop with groovy standout “The News.” Saxophone lifts the sweeping “Mtns Are Mtns” into the clouds. And the warped, down-tempo funk of “They Pray Execution Style” is effectively jarring at the center of an album mostly characterized by lazy folk. 

Apart from these left turns, “Staring At The X” is bogged down by its easygoing pace and unmemorable melodies. Slow-burning closer “Visions In Plastic” marks one of the few moments when the carefree atmosphere pays off and sounds as majestic as Forest Fire intends.

In 35 minutes, the record flies by, but it burns itself out before it can really catch.