Silversun Pickups - Pikul

I try to listen to every band fresh – no preconceptions, no comparisons – just listen to that band for what they are doing and how well I think they are doing it. But I’m not perfect; sometimes I don’t want to work for my music. I want it to make my toes tap or sound like some other band that I like that reminds me of that time in high school, something like that. Other times, I don’t like a band just because they sound like some other band, only not as good. Unfortunately, the latter is more of the case for the Silversun Pickups. A quick read-through of their bio told me why I thought Silversun Pickups sounded like a weaker version of East LA bands like Earlimart, Autolux, and (going back a few years) Failure. Don’t get me wrong; I love some of these bands. But these bands did it first, and they just did it so well. Not to mention, they did it years ago. Maybe it's just that I find singer/guitarist Brian Aubert’s voice too reminiscent of Wheatus (Yeah you remember “Teenage Dirtbag”). Not every band can be ground breaking, and I don’t want them to be. Being that this is the debut EP, this group has some time to grow. They certainly have the connections to serve them well, including Aaron Espinoza of Earlimart (who produced a track incidentally). If you live in East LA, go see this band. You might just disagree with everything I say. But if you live east of the Mississippi, there are probably a few records on your list you’ll want to pick up first. [www.silversunpickups.com]