Kevin Bronson on November 11th, 2013

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Anyone who’s followed the individual careers of Juliana Hatfield and Matthew Caws knew there had to be some magic in store when the duo got together. Hatfield has been making piquant pop since her days in the Blake Babies, and her album “Become What You Are” (1993) and “Only Everything” (’95) offered a thoughtful counterbalance to the flannel angst of that time period. Fronting Nada Surf, Caws too made some of the prettiest power-pop of the post-Nirvana age. Working together as Minor Alps, Hatfield and Caws have made an album befitting their resumés – “Get There” (via Barsuk Records) is poignant and sublimely pretty, the latter quality owing to their made-in-heaven harmonies and chiming guitars. Far from sounding like the afterthought of middle-aged rockers, “Get There” has the vibrant energy of two artists who still believe in the transportative quality of guitar pop. Kids these days.

||| Stream: “Far From the Roses”

||| Live: Minor Alps play the Echoplex on Tuesday.