You Should Know: Way Yes

I first heard Way Yes a couple months ago when I stumbled upon their excellent debut EP, Herringbone. Now, five months after that intriguing introduction, they've unveiled perhaps an even better EP entitled Walkability that has made me realize it's high time I get the word out about these guys.

Way Yes is comprised of Ohioans Glenn Davis and Travis Hall, a talented duo who combine nimble afropop guitars, subtle electronica, and smooth vocals into a sound that could be described as a blend of indie favorites Animal Collective and Vampire Weekend. But that's a rough approximation of their style, you really just have to give these guys a listen to understand how compelling their lighthearted, yet thoughtful, approach to experimental pop music can be.

Favorites from the EPs include "Johanna," "Walkability," "Gino," and "Ties"

Hear both of their EPs at their bandcamp/homepage:

http://wayyes.com

And if you need a listen right this second, go ahead and check out this free MP3 from Walkability:

Gino (MP3)

Daily Dose - 9/27/10: Young Man

Artist: Young Man
Recent Release: Boy
Genre: Singer-songwriter/Indie

Last year, Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox posted a song on his blog, a cover of Deerhunter's own "Rainwater Cassette Exchange" which Cox called "fantastically superior to the original." The YouTube poster behind the cover is Colin Caulfield, now recording as Young Man, and once you take a listen to his beautifully haunted music you'll understand why there's been so much buzz surrounding him this year. His debut EP, Boy, was released about a month ago, and I've had it in steady rotation ever since. His enticing harmonies and hypnotic soundscapes (created with guitar, organ and assorted digital loops and such) are reminiscent of several indie mainstays (most notably, perhaps, Animal Collective), but Caulfield is carving out a niche all his own, and you won't want to pass up the chance to discover it.

Key Tracks: "Home Alone," "Just a Growin'"

Download: Up So Fast (via Stereogum)

MySpace

Review: MGMT - Congratulations (* * 1/2)

You have to hand it to any band that willfully alienates a good portion of their fan base in the name of progress, though you may wonder if the decision MGMT made was the right one. Their first album left them among the hottest rock bands in the world, receiving critical acclaim and popular attention with hook-filled tunes like “Kids” and “Time to Pretend.” It seemed only logical that they would capitalize on this success by turning in an even more radio-friendly record, but instead MGMT head determinedly in the opposite direction for their second full-length, Congratulations. Of course, given the eclectic nature of their debut, Oracular Spectacular, this decision by the band to continue exploring instead of refining their sound isn’t a complete surprise. Across the album, their ambition results in some genuinely fascinating experiments, but Congratulations more often feels like an awkward first step toward the goal than its attainment. (Continue Reading @ In Review Online)

Introducing: Inlets

So working in a band has many advantages - it provides an exchange of ideas, it offers varied perspectives, etc. - but there's also something to be said for those artists who prefer to keep their music to themselves. Getting the best of both worlds is Sebastian Kreuger, operating as Inlets, who seems to make the majority of his creative process a solitary one, but certainly isn't opposed to collaboration. The talented newcomer has recorded or performed with the likes of Fiest and DM Stith, and on his debut LP, Inter Arbiter, he gets some assistance from Beirut frontman Zach Condon and Dirty Projectors vocalist Angel Deradoorian, among others. As a result, his first record often feels like a solo project in its darkly intimate style, but these mostly quiet songs feature striking instrumental backdrops and gorgeous vocal harmonies that help make the music especially compelling.

Kreuger's voice - both beautiful and haunting - weaves between acoustic guitar, subdued horns and banjo in a way that doesn't provide for many outright hooks, yet his intricate melodies and unusual song structures are absorbing just the same. The music of Inlets is brainy, cerebral stuff, and that's where most of its appeal lies, but Kreuger manages to include an emotional edge to his songwriting that allows the music to be accessed from more than just a technical standpoint. Highlights from Inter Arbiter include the constantly shifting "Canteen," the strange and melancholy "Bright Orange Air," and the enjoyably unstable "Famous Looks." It may be his full-length debut, but Kreuger shows a remarkable amount of maturity and depth here - no doubt the result of both a generous amount of creative energy and previously refined musicianship.

Download: "In Which I, Robert"

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Reviews in Brief: Laura Marling, Dr, Dog, Nice Nice

Laura Marling - I Speak Because I Can (* * * *)

To call Laura Marling's sophomore album, I Speak Because I Can, a sign of growth for the precocious songwriter might seem to undermine her remarkably accomplished first effort, Alas, I Cannot Swim. Yet as mature as her debut certainly was, her latest record shows a definite increase in the quality and depth of her songwriting and singing. I Speak continues Marling's penchant for emotionally weighty material, and here she has the added benefit of a more varied and intense instrumental selection, which - along with an impressive set of vocal performances - enhances the impact of her lyricism. From the fiery, Celtic-tinged opener "Devil's Spoke" to the gently rolling ballad "Darkness Descends," Marling borrows from many aspects of U.K. folk and pop music, but she never extends herself beyond her limits - another example of the considerable ability and artistic intelligence that marks I Speak Because I Can as a superb second album. MySpace


Dr. Dog - Shame, Shame (* * * 1/2)

Two songs into Dr. Dog's latest, Shame, Shame, I was convinced the record had already surpassed the band's previous release, Fate. "Stranger" and "Shadow People" are about stuffed with hooks, which I realize isn't really unusual for any given Dr. Dog song, but they somehow just seem to have more energy, more life than anything on their 2008 effort. Of course, the recipe used to create this new album is one you've heard from them (and others) before, but it's difficult to hold the group's lack of ambition against them when they're seemingly so intent on putting a smile on your face with their enjoyable retro-rock sound, which the boys have just about perfected here. There are a couple tracks here -"Later" and "Someday"- I could do without, but Shame, Shame succeeds well enough and often enough to be a valuable addition to your summer soundtrack. MySpace

Download: "Stranger"


Nice Nice - Extra Wow (* * * 1/2)

For those with short musical attention spans, may I recommend to you Nice Nice's Extra Wow. The Portland group's intensely unstable sound collages make for a consistently entertaining 51 minutes on their new record, which blends organic elements (vocals, guitars, drums) with all manner of digital wizardry in a spectacularly strange manner that is difficult to categorize or even describe. The band's eclectic, somewhat scattered approach gets a little disorienting at times, but it's never uninteresting, and the unusual way in which the songs are structured and executed should give the new album plenty of replay value for adventurous listeners. From the messy, raw "Set and Setting" to the shimmering "A Way We Glow" to the otherworldly funk of "A Little Love," Nice Nice provides ample reason to devote a the necessary time to properly dissect the inner workings of Extra Wow. MySpace

You Should Know: Erland and The Carnival

Singer/songwriter Erland Cooper, multi-instrumentalist Simon Tong (previously of The Verve, Blur, etc.) and drummer David Nock have recently released a very interesting album under the moniker Erland and The Carnival, and they have definitely caught my attention. The band is unusual in that many of the songs on their first record are covers of old English and Scottish folk tunes, or were at least inspired by traditional poetry, songwriting and music. I would imagine the trio retains at least some of the feeling and style that the original artists intended with their eerie, 60s-eque folk approach (though I can't say for certain, these references are fairly obscure to an American boy), but the album still manages to sound modern (and quite strange) while reaching deep into the musical past. No matter how much you know about Erland and The Carnival, however, the excellent musicianship and superb vocal performances alone make this a set of tunes anyone can and should appreciate.

Highlights are especially prevalent during the first half of the album. Opener "Love Is a Killing Thing" begins delicate and spare, but eventually swells into a climax of squealing guitar and pounding drums, while "You Don't Have to Be Lonely" and "The Derby Ram" carry their taught pace throughout, with Cooper's darkly-tinged tenor and plentiful vocal harmonies floating over musical elements both old and new. I'm finding it difficult to describe or compare to anything I've heard before, but the unique combination of folk, pop, and rock 'n' roll that defines Erland and The Carnival is thoroughly engrossing. While so many bands simply copy and paste from their influences, it's refreshing to hear a group that can craft something genuinely distinctive even as they borrow heavily from previous artists (albeit lesser known ones on most accounts). One of this year's most interesting releases, the debut album from this talented trio leaves me with the feeling that I've much more to discover if I'm willing to explore, and that's an oddly satisfying feeling.

MySpace

Review: Fredrik - Trilogi (* * * 1/2)

Swedish collective Fredrik impressed me a couple years ago with the release of their debut, Na Na Ni, so I was obviously quite excited when word reached me that their second LP was on it's way. Then came a release delay that put it nearly out of mind for a couple months until recently when I finally got a chance to hear the new record, much later than I had anticipated. Though it doesn't perhaps reach the high standard set by its predecessor, Trilogi was worth the wait, a strong sophomore record which makes some improvements and shows a band willing and able to progress beyond their initial boundaries. This sophomore effort is named for the way in which it was conceived, starting as a series of three EPs that the group eventually combined to form the 13 tracks of a full-length album that works very cohesively despite its scattered origin and should help to establish Fredrik as yet another noteworthy Swedish musical export.

The most important improvement Trilogi makes upon Fredrik's debut has more to do with its presentation as a whole than with the individual tunes. Na Na Ni was entertainingly inventive and successfully so, but its variation also caused the album to feel pieced together and occasionally slight - at least on first listen. The group's latest is considerably more substantial and purposeful, with a darker musical and lyrical theme. The band still experiments with a wide array of organic and electronic elements, switching between seemingly nonsensical lyrics and moody instrumental pieces, but the record flows convincingly in one direction where before it never felt settled. Perhaps as a result of the album's focus on unity, the songs on Trilogi don't impress as immediately and the music is slightly more predictable in its execution, but the way in which it all comes together is gorgeous.

Various and unique instruments ( including harp, bells, xylophone and plenty which I couldn't accurately identify) comprise the music of Trilogi, and when composed in such a beguiling way, Fredrik truly sounds like nobody else. Highlights from the album include the delicate, spare "Milo," the edgier "Ner" and the constantly shifting "Locked in the Basement," with each tune revealing more upon the repeated listens that the album seems to demand. And though the pace occasionally drags over a weak track or two, the whole of this immaculately composed and impressively detailed record is an experience worth having and the second consecutive example of Fredrik's considerable talent and inspiration.

Locked in the Basement (MP3)

MySpace

Review: Animal Collective - Fall Be Kind EP (* * * *)

(This one got GOLD over at In Review Online)

Heaping praise on indie superstars Animal Collective is starting to seem too easy, unnecessary even. Don’t get me wrong; AC have earned their status as the preeminent boundary-pushing experimental group working today. This past year alone they released 2009’s best album and my personal favorite of theirs, Merriweather Post Pavilion. But the announcement of their Fall Be Kind EP almost prompted me to just say, “It’s Animal Collective, of course it’s amazing." Listen to it, love it, and then we’ll all move on. And if Fall Be Kind was just “good,” or even great in exactly the same way the LP that preceded it was great, maybe I could settle with that generalization. But in keeping with tradition, Animal Collective has crafted another distinctly superb and somehow progressive set of songs, noteworthy for its own merits and not simply as another strong addition to the band’s remarkable catalog. (Read the full review @ In Review Online)

Reissue Review: Cloud Cult - They Live on the Sun/Aurora Borealis (* * * *)

Even if you're a die hard Cloud Cult fan, it's unlikely that you have been able to find hard copies of two of the earliest releases - 2003's They Live on the Sun and 2004's Aurora Borealis - from the experimental indie collective. The band has recently remixed, remastered, and re-imagined these two records and released them as a double album to make them widely available in physical format for the first time. And really, besides the convenience for fans of releasing the albums together (at a generous price, I might add), these two records belong together - having been released only six or so months apart and both being conceived and recorded primarily by frontman Craig Minowa in isolation after the unexpected death of his two year-old son not long before. I can't actually comment on the differences between these new versions and the originals as I haven't heard the latter, but I do know there have been a few additions and deletions, including the previously unreleased "Time" on They Live on the Sun and "And It's Good" from Aurora Borealis. For fans of the band's later recordings or for completists, this reissue is one worth exploring.

They Live on the Sun is the rougher and rawer of the two, eclectic and sprawling in the way that the band's current highpoint, The Meaning of 8, is but somehow even more explosive and fractured. In fact, there are relatively few tracks that are cohesive and structured enough to be classifies as songs, with cuts like the scratchy punk rocker "Turtle Shell," the eerie, spoken-word interlude "Da Dum," and the demented "It's Gay" providing brief and bizarre looks into Minowa's troubled and grief-stricken mind using a variety of digital programming and instruments that never settle into one approach for more than a track or two. Even knowing the album's inspiration, the music doesn't often seem outright depressing, but even in it's most pleasant and accessible ("Radio Fodder," for instance), there's a feeling of sadness that permeates the catchy melodies and earnest lyrics. The more full-formed tunes are the highlights here, like opener "On the Sun" or the electronica epic "Back Again P.ii," and though the entire experience can be overwhelming at first given the amount and variance of the material, there's a remarkable amount of sincerity and honesty that Minowa somehow conveys in the midst of all the chaos. For those willing to take the dive and immerse themselves in the experience, They Live on the Sun can be a very rewarding listen.

Only released a handful of months after its predecessor and inspired by the same isolationist experience, Aurora Borealis somehow manages to feel like a decidedly different record than They Live on the Sun. The instrumental palette is similar - guitars, piano, plenty of synths and programming - but there are fewer odd interludes, more traditional (relatively, anyway) rock tunes, and a more urgent, frenzied approach to the proceedings. It's also easier to enjoy and appreciate, with highlights like opening ballad "Breakfast With My Shadow," the dark, spacey "All Together Alone," and the aforementioned new addition "And It's Good" contributing to a fast-paced and accessible first half that subsides into a more experimental and strange second. There are still obvious references to Minowa's son, like the voice of a child in the outlandish "Northern Lights" or the heartbreaking, haunting closer "Beautiful Boy," but Aurora Borealis has the feeling of a return, in part at least, to sanity for this grieving parent. At nearly 20 minutes and six tracks shorter than the epic collage that preceded it, this more streamlined counterpart will likely appeal to a wider audience and shows some of the artistic growth and stability (again, this is relative to the band) shown on Cloud Cult's more recent releases.

I do have some gripes about these reissues, specifically that there were a handful of tracks cut from each (though I still haven't heard them, perhaps I should trust the band's discretion) and that the final song on each album is proceeded by fifteen minutes of silence, which seems like an unnecessary pain. However, these minor flaws don't detract from the quality and amount of the material here that gives longtime fans the ability to own the physical discs and more casual observers, such as myself, a good opportunity to explore the early career of this talented and enigmatic musician.

Purchase

MySpace

Review: Memory Tapes - Seek Magic (* * * *)

If you’ve never heard of Dayve Hawk, the lone man behind Memory Tapes, you’re sure to be in the vast majority. In fact, it almost seems as if Hawk purposefully decreases his chances at fame or any sort of personal recognition by obfuscating his name behind a variety of monikers, while producing similar music under each of them. The title Memory Tapes is itself a combination of two of Hawk’s other project names: Weird Tapes and Memory Cassette. For now it seems he’ll be sticking with this moniker, unloading a near-constant stream of musical output. You’ll nevertheless be hard-pressed to find much background info on Hawk, as even his blog is short on personal history, but it’s constantly updated with free singles, b-sides and oodles of remixes (including a version of Yeasayer’s new single, “Ambling Alp”). That music has always been consistently entertaining and interesting, but nothing ever really coalesced into a concrete album until now. His Memory Tapes debut, Seek Magic, feels both complete and significant as a true debut for this talented young artist. (Continue Reading at In Review Online)

Review: Devendra Banhart - What Will We Be (* * * 1/2)

Just this year, Devendra Banhart signed to a major label (Warner Bros.). It took seven years promoting himself on independents for this to happen, but the feat is nonetheless impressive considering the nature of the artist’s peculiar brand of folk music. Granted, the eccentric songwriter’s oddness rarely detracts from his ability to create charming and melodic songs, and his appeal isn’t difficult to hear, but Banhart’s off-kilter style and frequently over-the-top artistic choices (2005’s Cripple Crow is 22 songs long and clocks in at 74 minutes) make him seem an unlikely candidate for crossing over to the mainstream. But maybe I’m just not giving these bigger labels enough credit. Of course, such a move is sure to make Banhart’s long-time fans nervous—the list of artists that have disappointed in this situation is a mile long—but he mostly retains his strange and distinctive edge on his sixth full-length effort, What Will We Be, another welcome if somewhat uneven addition to an impressive catalog. (Continue Reading...)

Review: Atlas Sound - Logos (* * * *)

For Bradford Cox (known primarily as the frontman for indie heavyweights Deerhunter), albums released under his solo moniker, Atlas Sound, are clearly labors of love. When early versions of the songs that would eventually make up his new album, Logos, accidentally made their way onto his blog (he was, unfortunately, the one responsible), Bradford was so upset he nearly scrapped the entire project. For a man who routinely offers free tunes of all sorts on that same blog, this may have seemed like an overreaction, but it’s obvious that Cox intended for his sophomore solo effort to be more than just a collection of tossed-off experiments, non-album cuts or covers; and now that we get to hear the final and finished product, we should be thankful he decided to complete it. For Logos, Cox takes what was started on Atlas Sound’s debut, Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel, and expands it, opening the process to collaborators and varying the stylistic approaches to a more intriguing and somehow accessible end. (Continue Reading...)

@InRO: Discographer #3: The What of Why?

Over at In Review Online we've just posted our third 'Discographer' feature - a look into the albums of Yoni Wolf's band, Why? I only wrote one of the reviews - but the entire feature is worth looking into for a take on this unique musician's notable career:

Discographer: The What of Why?

Reviews -

Oaklandazulasylum (by Jordan Cronk)

Elephant Eyelash (by Chris Nowling)

Alopecia (by Lukas Suveg)

Eskimo Snow (by Jordan Cronk)

Review: Volcano Choir - Unmap (* * 1/2)

Whatever your opinion of his music, you have to admire Justin Vernon, a man determined to push boundaries. When his former band, DeYarmond Edison, fell apart several years ago, Vernon removed himself from society and retreated to the woods of Wisconsin, where with some basic recording equipment, guitars, and very little else he managed to create one of the best albums of 2007 (or 2008 if you count the re-release) and the finest work of his career as Bon Iver. And people noticed – the singer/songwriter, who had before kept an extremely low profile, would suddenly find himself in the indie spotlight amid heaps of critical and popular praise. Not one to simply sit around and bask in his newfound fame, Vernon followed For Emma, Forever Ago with this year’s Blood Bank EP, an experimental four-song set that showed him branching out from his unique brand of melancholy folk in seemingly counterintuitive ways, including an auto-tuned, a capella track (“Woods”) that saw a fairly mixed reception from fans. And now we get Unmap, Vernon’s full-length collaboration with experimental group Collections of Colonies of Bees and another clear indication that he has little inclination to repeat success with a proven formula. (Continue Reading...)

MySpace

Review: Health - Get Color (* * * *)

Los Angeles quartet HEALTH's music is often labeled as a ‘noise-rock,’ but that’s oversimplifying to say the least, especially nowadays as the term continues to be questionably applied to current indie favorites such as Wavves or Japandroids. To be fair, though, it’s probably not laziness that inspires such frequently bland descriptions, but rather an inability to give any reference as to what the group’s sound may be compared. Indeed, HEALTH doesn’t make that easy; their explosive brand of rock n’ roll takes their instrumental attack to ear-assaulting levels with layers of manipulated sound and washed out vocals and can certainly be called noise, but their adventurous compositions and almost formless song structures put the band in a category all their own. With their true sophomore effort, Get Color, HEALTH follow their self-titled 2007 debut and its remixed companion album, 2008’s Health//Disco, with nine aggressively experimental tracks that expand the minimalist style of their earlier work while also achieving a more cohesive listening experience. (Continue Reading...)


MySpace

Review: Megafaun - Gather, Form and Fly (* * * *)

With the recent and explosive success of Justin Vernon’s solo project, Bon Iver, it’s difficult to imagine many people asking about the fate of the other members of Vernon’s previous band, DeYarmond Edison [these people shouldn't be allowed to name bands -Ed.]. But the answer to the unasked question is one worth knowing as I learned recently. When their leader wandered off into the woods of Wisconsin to create his masterpiece (one of my favorites last year, if you count the re-release), the brothers Cook (Brad & Phil) and fellow Wisconsinite Joe Westerlund found a way to carry on without him by forming Megafaun, reinventing their sound and creating a solid – though generally overlooked – debut with 2007’s Bury the Square. The release did, however, catch the attention of Akron/Family – with whom the younger band shares some stylistic similarities – and soon the two groups were on the road together, with Megafaun both opening for and supporting Akron/Family on stage. (Continue Reading...)

Kaufman's Ballad (MP3)

Review: Wildbirds & Peacedrums (* * * *)

In an increasingly crowded indie music scene, those that produce anything genuinely unique are few and far between. However, 2009 has been a banner year for progressive music, and Wildbirds & Peacedrums is just more proof of this. Though perhaps not that well known yet, Swedish husband and wife duo Mariam Wallentin and Andreas Werliin have just released an often stunning sophomore album: The Snake is an ambitious record that unfortunately may not get the attention it deserves, but an accomplished and inspired work nonetheless. The band has been described as a "drums-and-vocals" duo (Wellentin singing and Werliin on percussion), and the two artists remain mostly faithful to that simple formula, removing guitar almost completely from the equation, and distancing themselves from the sound of bluesy rocker two-pieces like The White Stripes and The Black Keys. Instead, a more apt comparison may be to the likes of Natasha Khan or to the vocal ferocity of Bjork, whose influence is obvious during several songs on The Snake. (Continue Reading...)

There Is No Light (MP3)

New and Notable: Choir of Young Believers

I first heard Choir of Young Believers several months ago but was never able (or didn't try hard enough) to find much information about the band. Fortunately, they again crossed my path recently with the press surrounding the release of their debut album, This Is For the White In Your Eyes. In actuality, though there are several people included in the production and performance of the music, Choir of Young Believers is the brainchild of one Jannis Joya Makrigiannis - a Danish songwriter and composer that excels at writing beautifully orchestrated indie pop tunes. Under his direction, the band combine stirring string arrangements, pounding drums, and joyous horn accompaniment with Makrigiannis's clear, smooth tenor voice, which results in the creation of some dramatic and intriguing soundscapes on their first LP.

Though the band's title and instrumental palette might suggest otherwise, much of 'White In Your Eyes' is actually quite sparse, with Makrigiannis using the various elements sparingly and separately as to avoid the fully orchestrated sound of the likes of Sufjan Stevens. Tracks like the slowly building "These Rituals of Mine," the lonely "Under the Moon" and the haunting closer "Yamagata" all prefer open space to busy arrangements and crowded choruses. Even highlights like opener "Hollow Talk" and the single "Action/Reaction," while incorporating more elements into the band's sound, leave time for delicate and simple passages where the vocals are the clear centerpiece. The result is a sort of melancholy spirit that pervades the majority of the songs, though even with its deliberate pacing and often sad lyrical content, the record rarely drags or seems heavy-handed. Instead, the stark beauty that Makriaginnis and company create feels more effective and powerful for its restraint.

This Is For the White's In Your Eyes has enough strong material to suggest Makriaginnis has serious talent and a great deal of creative energy, though it's also clear he'll need to improve in order to make a more lasting impression. I'm betting he'll do just that, and in the meantime this is an album that deserves to be experienced and enjoyed, one that you can dive into and spend time with as it appreciates with repeated spins. You can download the song "Action/Reaction" below and/or visit the band's MySpace page to get an introduction.

Action/Reaction (MP3)

Review: Patrick Wolf - The Bachelor (* * *)

Everyone familiar with Patrick Wolf knows drama is part of the Wolf experience. He's talented, certainly, and ambitious as well, but complimenting his mad pop genius is a love for the theatrical and grandiose that is endearing at the least and captivating at best. His emotionally unstable nature makes for some weighty and depressing songwriting, but for the most part it enhances his complex arrangements and remarkable vocal delivery, heard in a relatively joyful pop presentation on his previous album, 2007’s excellent The Magic Position. For The Bachelor, Wolf kicks things up a notch by further broadening his musical horizons, tackling social and political issues (in addition to more personal emotional traumas) while also embellishing his already eccentric style and taking it in several directions; traditional folk ballads and glam-rock epics are a big part of this set. Driven by both his ego and raging emotions, Wolf frequently gives in to his increasingly dramatic tendencies and has created a wildly uneven album. The Bachelor is both impressive and somewhat frustrating. (Continue Reading...)

Review: Nurses - Apple's Acre (* * * 1/2)

A few weeks ago I got all excited about up and coming psychedelic pop/folk band Nurses, who caught my attention with the first single, "Caterpillar Playground," from their now recently-released debut album. The tune exemplifies what's best about the Portland duo of Aaron Chapman and John Bowers, who use a variety of instruments and off-kilter production to create strangely charming pop songs, often channeling several musical influences into their tunes but keeping the music quite unique to the band. Their new LP, Apple's Acre, is the work of men with plenty of ambition and some great ideas, and though the results aren't completely consistent, there's enough here to warrant serious attention.

The band revealed one of their highlights by giving "Caterpillar Playground" an early release, but they easily match its quality several places throughout Apple's Acre. Opener "Technicolor" and the bluesy, messy "Lita" are especially excellent, with manic vocal harmony over clanging piano and simple, steady drum beats. Like many of the record's most enjoyable songs, the two tunes are best appreciated through headphones or in a quiet room when you can hear the subtle nuances the band throw in to their music - a dash of synth here, some 'kitchen sink' percussion there - a little bit of everything but never enough to distract from the melody. The music is certainly never boring, and by the end of the psych-folk closer "Orange Cymbals," the group haven't exactly worn out their welcome, but you get the feeling that keeping the record at a trim 35 minutes was an intelligent choice.

Psychedelia's resurgence into the indie scene has felt a little tired of late, but though Nurses probably fall into that category, they avoid retreading old ground with their fairly novel approach, generally forgoing heavy, hazy guitar riffs and spaced-out vocals for a sort of piano-pop-meets-classic folk sound. With the addition of plenty of twists and turns stuffed into the ten brief tracks and some engaging (and occasionally bizarre) melodies, Nurses make Apple's Acre a solid debut from which they will hopefully build a successful career.

Caterpillar Playground (MP3)