by Dan Bernal
The opening track on this disc jumps out as nearly identical to local rockers Waltham, minus the flare, urgency, or power. The CD starts out chugging retro-’80s rock with emo overtones and a strange vocal effect that sounds like a double gone overboard, but gets a little more alternative as it drones on. The vocals continue to feel uninspired and doubled throughout, odd synth tones creep in and out over an otherwise fairly sparse three-piece arrangement consisting of clean or lightly-driven guitars, bass, and drums mixed cleanly, but without any real fire. Multi-instrumentalist/singer Matt Cox swings from softened falsetto to angst-driven vocal overdrive and certainly has the vocal capacity: What he lacks in character, he makes up for in raw ability. The tune “Thinking Hüsker Dü” has some cool Cars-esque keyboard parts (another Walthamic touch), and the production is competent and allows what the band has to shine. Now it’s time to work on buffing up that shine…
(www.bugsx.com)