The Webstirs like to use their own dictionary when defining the style of the six-piece indie pop rock group from Chicago. “’Pop/vocal’ has such a different meaning today than it did back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, but that’s really what we are,” says Preston Pisellini (vocals, guitars, keys) who formed the band with childhood friend Mark Winkler (vocals, keys) and have released six albums that throwback to a time when multiple-part harmonies and catchy ditties reigned supreme. “We have three singers, use a lot of cool harmonies, and play some rockin’ tunes. We’re like Three Dog Night, but we write our own tunes!”

That MO comes into the purview on the group’s seventh album, High Up in the Trees, out November 14 on Presmark Records. Over 11 tracks, the band – completed by Jordan Kozer (drums, percussion), Gregg Juhlin (bass), Doug Bobenhouse (vocals, guitar) and Matt Allison (recording, mixes) – also bends the rules on what a good pop rock song can be.

“We tend to write bouncy, upbeat music but our lyrics can lean toward darker subjects,” explains Pisellini. “The darker or sketchier words helps balance them out,” adds Winkler. For example, the ebullient sway of “Roulette” sounds like an innocent daydream. But, as Pisellini says, “it’s actually based on a childhood friend who’s in prison for accidentally killing someone in a game of Russian roulette.” And first single “When It’s Gone” sounds like a guitar soliloquy to a time long gone but was inspired by the hardships of caring for sick parents. “Sorry, we can’t all write about a Pink Pony Club,” he jokes.

High Up in the Trees also pays tribute to another influential person in the world of The Webstirs: Adam Schlesinger, the late frontman of Fountains of Wayne. “He was a brilliant songwriter. It’s still shocking that he died from COVID, and I did write a couple of tunes as an attempt to pay him some tribute,” Pisellini adds. But there’s one big hallmark that he says sets the record apart: “This is probably the only album released this year that features both a French horn and a Japanese peacock harp, but I could be wrong!”

“There’s always a bit of a twist involved, but it’s never self-conscious,” says Juhlin regarding the musical flexes on the album, from the out-and-out rocker of “King of Distortion” to the rockabilly vibe of “The Guy For You” and the straight-up cow punk of “Thrown Away,” which he says is “a credit to Preston and Mark’s songwriting ability and blending all these styles.”

High Up in the Trees was recorded at a handful of Chicago’s legendary studios including Steve Albini’s Electrical Audio and Andy Gerber’s Million Yen and its personnel pulls from the city’s rock elite. Juhlin not only plays with The Slugs (Pravda Records), but The Webstirs also count Matt Allison — known for his work with Alkaline Trio, Lawrence Arms, and Sarge — as their sixth member. A longtime producer and mixer for the band, Allison remains an essential part of their lineup.

“Matt has done a stellar job (as per usual) of reigning everything in, and giving the album a nice, cohesive sound,” says Juhlin. As Winkler adds, “Listening to the tracks, I could tell something special was happening. We try to keep finding fresh ideas and not just repeat what we’ve done before but still stay true to our sound. And it really is our best work yet.”