Halloween, Alaska
(East Side Digital)
It would be incredibly easy to dismiss Halloween, Alaska, as another conveyor-belt, lite-rock outfit with hipster points (drummer David King holds court in post-modern jazz trio the Bad Plus) and a diploma from the Becker-Fagen Finishing School For Arteeests. Fortunately, the quartet's synergy of melodic sensibilities, intriguing lyrics and atmospheric flourishes is far more iridescent than bland Clear Channel radio fodder.
Less electronic than the band's previous endeavors, Champagne Downtown stakes its claim somewhere between Porcupine Tree's MOR prog, Death Cab For Cutie's introspection and Low's precipice-dangling Trust album. That sonic terrain is an intriguing place to be, but the payoff comes in singer James Diers' lyrics, which range from brash ("You're just like America/Fresh out of surprises" from "Hot Pink") to the pointedly political ("Knights Of Columbus"). America doesn't need another Maroon5, but we do need more thoughtful commentaries with greater resonance than a Hallmark card. See you Downtown.
Standout Tracks: "Hot Pink," "Knights of Columbus" JASON PETTIGREW
