From a far away land called Vermont...

Happy Birthday - s/t

Vermont is a strange place for a great indie rock album to be created, sure, but I have a theory: the combination of small-town boredom, neglected state anonymity, and most importantly, three talented musicians who love playing together. It also doesn't hurt that the band is fronted by Kyle Thomas, aka King Tuff, who's first record "Was Dead" has had steady play from me since I caught wind of it last year. (download that album here)

This effort on the other hand, is a bit different. Whereas King Tuff was a tough little rock roundup owing a lot of debt to the 70s, this is much more poppy - at first glance, that is. There's a lot of pop to be had, but it's not exclusively catchy and cutesy, as some completely odd will whip at your ears when you least expect it. This is far from a perfect album though, some songs are major letdowns (Eyes Music) or just seem completely out of place (Cracked,) but mostly it's full of great, multiple-repeat-worthy tunes like Girls FM, 2 Shy and Subliminal Message.

This is an album to bring some fun to your turntable; it's everything you've heard before, but it's got something ever slightly so warped about it that keeps it from being boring. It's not different in the same vein as Nobunny or Smith Westerns, taking pop music and plastering it in grime and glam until it's something their own, I think I can put it best this way:

You see a pretty girl walking towards you down the sidewalk, she's blonde, floral summer dress, a cool breeze blowing her hair ever so slightly - but she's got a black eye, a real shiner. And all it does it just add to her charm.

-Thom