Alone Records puts out some of the most interesting records, and with no true boundary as to where the label’s primary musical interests lie. THE BLUE HOUR is pretty cool indie-rock/new wave combination that at times is very heavy on the electronic beats and atmospherics, and at others, very much in line with current JIMMY EAT WORLD or MAE, but less structured. “I’ve Filled Up These Pages” is almost trancelike for much of the disc, especially on tracks six and seven, where the music is more layered and nostalgic sounding. The male lead vocals bring up comparisons to DURAN DURAN at times, but are hardly used enough considering how much emphasis is placed on the electronic programming. Given how DIY this release is, the packaging is rather poor, and the sound quality is somewhat limited, but this only mildly diminishes one’s enjoyment of the overall effort. In terms of replay value, THE BLUE HOUR have a relatively unique sound, but one’s that’s not all that memorable. With so little structure to the band’s songs, more and more, this disc feels like a work in progress than a proper release. Although intrigued, I’m just not convinced I’ll be pulling this off the cd rack all that often.

Alone/Electric Human Project

www.alonerecords.com