Ideas Above Our Station

There are shades of early Pearl Jam here, particularly in the first single "If I Could", but such comparisons on their own are unfair--witness the gloriously deranged guitar of "Shine" or the restrained brutality of live favourite "Silver". The only trouble is their immediacy often suffocates their fragile melodies, whereas bands such as My Vitriol and Feeder have always elevated them to the forefront of their songs. What it lacks in finesse it makes up for in sheer dewy-eyed belief--there may be silver here, but they'll have to dig a little deeper to produce pure gold. "In my hands good fortune", frontman Doran near-croons on "Falter". On the basis of this, it is well deserved. --Ben Johncock