PAPAS FRITAS

Everybody gets old. Sadly, it’s just a fact of life. There’s a difference, though, between that guy who in an attempt to keep hanging with the cool kids gets an earring and dons a muscle shirt and those who acknowledge age but manage to preserve the attitude that made them young in the first place. The three-minute pop trio Papas Fritas falls into the latter camp. The Massachusetts-based band’s third record, Buildings and Grounds, isn’t quite as spry as the two long-players that preceded it, but, thankfully, it’s just as entertaining. The hooks are all still there, though not as prevalent as before, with Papas Fritas using subtle melodies and slinky bass to its advantage, especially on the back-and-forth vocals of “Way You Walk.” A couple of times, however, the band returns to the bounce, but in a somewhat more stately manner than before. Sure, the members of Papas Fritas might be getting older and growing up, but they’ve musically managed to avoid putting on earrings and muscle shirts.