THE STORY CHANGES / LET GO – Analogies Split MCD (Future Destination): Two exceptionally slick pop-rock bands come together to release eight exceptionally slick pop-rock songs. Jamie Woolford is a hero to this genre, as his time in THE STEREO has only become more revered over the years. LET GO is basically THE STEREO part deux, but with more polish, less tension, and just as huge lead vocals. When it’s playing from my speakers, these songs are pure melodic bliss, but alarmingly, I don’t remember much from them otherwise.

AT THE SOUNDAWN – Shifting (Lifeforce):  The press sheet comparison for Shifting was a smirk inducing “SHAI HULUD meets MOGWAI.” The smirk was unwarranted. The Italian band has transformed into a largely instrumental beast over their past few recordings and this one really explodes with moody, tumultuous rhythms and spacey atmospherics (and epicly epic horns – think of summoning a unicorn out of the sky). A lot of great bands are in this area right now, but only a few have credible, minimalist vocals like AT THE SOUNDAWN, and that’s a big plus.

RANDY THUNDERBIRD – How to Talk to Kids About Robots (Bemuda Mohawk Production): Solid gritty melodic punk in the vein of OFF WITH THEIR HEADS, LAWRENCE ARMS, and DILLINGER FOUR. Snarlin’, clever lyrics, and a dry, urgent guitar allow the band to buzzsaw through 10 songs in a scant 20 minutes. Basement shows, beer-soaked dive bars… you know the drill.

KILLS AND THRILLS – Liars (Hotfoot): Super-loud, southern-influenced hardcore out of Long Island that closely plays to the book of EVERY TIME I DIE. Hotfoot did a tremendous job with the CD packaging, with it feeling good just to hold in your hands. Some of the songs tend to run together, but there’s at least two real standouts here where the band engages in some next-level riffage and coordinated percussion.