If I didn't know that this album was just released, I'd swear it was a lost sixties folk-pop classic. 

Cantinero leader Chris Hinken led an overlooked 90s band called Bigmouth (you can see our review of that band's 1998 self-titled release on our record reviews menu).  His new group is more delicate, more heartfelt, but even more arresting.

Championship Boxing sounds as retro as its cover looks, but that's a positive in this case.  The tunes skip on an acoustic vibe that seems weirdly timeless.  "The Machine" is a lovely ballad which vaguely echoes Ferrante and Teicher's "Theme from Midnight Cowboy."  Also impressive is the sweet melancholy of "Happy When I'm Down" or the Beatle-esque psychedelia of "Make Me An Offer."

The feeling of quietly strummed folk is augmented by a good dollop of rock instrumentation, like the Lou-Reed-inspired proto-rap of "Tuesday" and the lovely piano-driven pop of "That Guy."