Only two members of Philadelphia trio Thin Lips are related by blood. Nevertheless, when three people stick together for over a decade through endless tours, countless band incarnations and hundreds of recording sessions, they may as well be considered family. Whereas the songs on Thin Lips’ first album ‘Riff Hard’ were raucous, punk-driven affairs, this new batch of songs sees Chrissy focusing on purposeful, sharp guitar hooks; stripping away the gutsy solos and leaving more room for Kyle and Mikey to add thoughtful details to their expertly calculated rhythms. Chrissy and Kyle’s extended pre-production also led to the addition of some tasteful keyboard and synth lines throughout the record, most notably on the enormous chorus of “Smoking Is For Quitters.” There is a special power in the ability to name and identify life’s daily barriers, and to believe in the possibility of freedom from those barriers. Chrissy and Thin Lips have that power, and they use it to keep moving. And it’s undoubtedly evident on this new release of their newest record, ‘Chosen Family.’