It’s a collection, so it’s kinda disjointed and dated. Kinda thick, not overly polished, but raw and jagged and dense, if not altogether vocally accurate.
James Raftery has been compared to Elliot Smith, with the classic storytelling of folk rock. Warm production and fuzzy guitars, very ’90s indie rock.
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Phil Lomac is at his best when he doesn’t try very hard, he just let’s his soothing voice win you over, the simple melodies lapping at you like gentle waves.
As much Death Cab For Cutie as alt rock, Youth Group play emotively lush, atmospheric pop with occasional explosive guitar and plenty of higher-note plucking.
Singer Aaron Perrino of The Sheila Divine’s side project, until that amazing band disbanded. Now Dear Leader is the main band. Hear one song and you’re hooked.
Moments of suspense, subtlety, resolution, and – especially in “Exodus Damage”‘s drum treatment – superb sound handling. Where do all these elements go?
Jackinabox is more California dreaming/Gram Parsons than Manchester fog a la Elbow, further proving that not all mellow British music constitutes as “suicidal.”