You Blew It!: Keep Doing What You’re Doing
With maybe the truest emo record yet to come from the recent resurgence of emo and pop-punk, You Blew It! call back to the height of the genre without getting too bogged down by tradition.
Jeff Koch
Jeff Koch is a writer and music lover, and has been for about as long as he can remember. After winning his high school's Battle of the Bands co-fronting Gabe and The Northways with his best pals, he decided to quit while he was ahead. He instead pursued a degree in journalism from Biola University. His writing can be found in the Orange County Register, Colorado Springs Independent and, of course, PopMatters. He has a blog, and tweets from @jeffkochisok.
+/- (Plus/Minus): Jumping the Tracks
Despite a few flashes of skill, +/- (Plus/Minus) doesn't do enough on Jumping the Tracks to seem anything more than "meh".
Andrew Bird: I Want to See Pulaski at Night
Avant-garde even by Andrew Bird's standards, the meandering, mostly instrumental I Want to See Pulsaski at Night is gorgeous but empty.
Manchester Orchestra – “Top Notch” (stream)
If “Top Notch” is any indicator, look for Manchester Orchestra's COPE to push boundaries and expectations in that same way.
Buried Beds: In Spirit
The diverse, eclectic sounds from Buried Beds never stray too far from their indie-pop roots on this brilliant sophomore effort.
