Remember your one friend? Your best bud. That was, at least until “she” came into the picture. “She” being the girlfriend that took him away and molded him into everything “she” wanted him to become: Well trimmed, less quirky and eccentric and widely successful and liked. Not that these were necessarily bad things; he seemed more mature and well-balanced since he meet her. Everyone else seemed to like him more, but you couldn’t help but miss the old him. Well, your friend was Rilo Kiley, and “she” was popularity, and popularity is (and forever will be) a bitch. On More Adventurous, one-time Saddle Creek-ers, Rilo Kiley have rounded off their jagged edges to make a very “nice” sounding record. On their first album backed by a major label, all the oddities and lo-fi charm of their back catalogue are completely lost on an overly-polished production job. However, most songs are still very pleasant if not all that original. "It’s a Hit" is a sunshiny pop delivery of a scathing review of our current administration. "Ripchord" takes it down a level as a lo-fi folk ditty with Sennett making his sole vocal appearance (which coincidentally I feel is the best track). Finally, "I Never" recalls Motown doowop, giving the album versatility and depth before it dives back into the waves of orchestration that swamp this entire album. So it’s not time to give up on your friend yet. Overall, he’s still a good guy, although probably not your best bud anymore. But who knows maybe they’ll break up? We can only hope. [www.rilokiley.com]

A good punk band doesn’t have to break new ground to be good, and Pistol Grip isn’t doing anything new, just doing it well. Tear It All Down, like the band’s previous releases, boils down the whole of punk rock, spitting out a pop-leaning, hardcore-feeling, socially-conscious effort that should be the sort of thing a punk newbie eats up. Elements of Rancid (“Never Be Another” and “…For I Have Sinned”), Face To Face (“Rusted Lining”), Dropkick Murphy’s (“When The Ink Runs Dry”) and Bad Religion (“Dog In Prague”) run through the band’s music. That’s a pretty incomplete list, considering you can hear a hundred other bands in there; the point being this ain’t no rip off act. Pistol Grip know where they come from, going all the way back to The Clash and Stiff Little Fingers, and they rock well. With all the rocking, the lyrics to Tear It All Down cover feelings of alienation and doubt but, more importantly, shed anger at personal choices and the problems of government and all sorts of leaders. This is the kind of band young punks should flock to because Pistol Grip know the music; they know the history and they know what most of the bands on MTV don’t – that there’s more to life than hating your parents. [www.byorecords.com]

If their self-titled debut was “that extra edge” cranked to 11, it seems The Datsuns, with the help of producer John Paul Jones (from Led Zep Bros!), have turned it down to 10 for their sophomore effort Outta Sight/Outta Mind. Which probably has something to do with why you’ve heard considerably less about this album (that and you don’t hear it blaring through your paper thin dorm walls). Their last album was released two years ago, right smack dab in the middle of the garage rock revolution (courtesy of the NME), unfairly lumping them with bands that they had little to do with. The Datsuns are a retro rock band through and through. There’s little to no garage or punkittude about it. These guys think it's 1973 and are just acting accordingly. They probably were pretty stoked that Jones would leave the Zep’s “world tour” to record their LP. Even the cover art is straight out of the 70s: Walking through a field wearing clothes right out of their dad’s closet with this whole weird trippie coloration of the background going on. So The Datsuns are kind of derivative, but so what? Who doesn’t like rock? And at least these guys are legitimate about what they are doing; they truly believe in classic rock, regardless of how dated it has become. With songs like “Hong Kong Fury,” “Get Up (Don’t Fight It),” and “Blacken My Thumb,” the Datsuns will rock you right down to the very core, if you let them. It’s not going to change the world; it’s not going to push music forward, but it is going to rock and rock hard. I mean, it’s only rock n’ roll, but I like it. [www.thedatsuns.com]

As a band, The Delays are about as English as fish and chips. Heavily accented falsettos harmonized over epic guitars with a driving drum line. So if you have a hard time appreciating warm beer and “football,” there’s a good chance you’ll have a hard time getting into The Delays. Even though they are very English, The Delays are also very different from most contemporary English rock acts, having more in common with The Byrds than Oasis (although they are a brother fronted band, in fact with two sets of brothers). Their jangly guitar-driven pop stands in contrast to the current retro rock revival, sounding both reverent of the past but committed to exploring the future. Songs such as opener “Wonderlust,” “Long Time Coming,” and “On” are full-on stadium anthems waiting to be shouted along with by thousands of drunken summer festival goers. But it’s not all simple stadium rock. The track “Stay Where You Are” has an almost electronica beat, showing the bands versatility but not at the cost of their accessibility. However, there are moments when I feel like I lose the plot a little. Tracks like “No Ending” and “There’s Water Here” just leave me scratching my head. I want to get into it, but I still spell color without a u. Maybe there is something lost in translation that I’m just not picking up on. It sounds almost like “ethnic” English music (though it seems weird using the word “ethnic” to describe the English). Overall it’s a great English spring/summer album; it’s just too bad that I got it right smack dab in the middle of a Midwestern American winter. [www.thedelays.co.uk]

10 years ago, I was freaking 12 years old. I remember going to tuba lessons at a friends house in town (his father was the conductor at the local university). Frequently, I’d get there a little early or mom would come a little late, and I’d sit in the living room with my buddy watching MTV. This was a pretty big deal for me since we didn’t have cable back home and mom wasn’t a big fan of MTV. She’d never come right out and say I couldn’t watch it, but I knew if she found me watching it she'd be a little disappointed (and frankly I didn’t want to disappoint her). So I did what any good son would do, watched it behind her back. And one of my favorite memories from this (very, very) tame rebellion was the video for "Peaches." Back in 1994, grunge had come to a rather abrupt end with Kurt’s violent and untimely death, and we needed something…well, brighter. Life had gotten way too serious, way too quickly. With songs about petting kitties, miniature dune buggies, and a better life filled with an endless supply of organic fruits, but still with a grungey edge, the Presidents of the USA were exactly what we needed. Of course, when you listen to the album, you can tell it was made in 1994, but then a lot of good stuff came from the mid-nineties. Music that wasn't quite punk, wasn't quite grunge, but was "alternative." But then again, PUSA weren't your normal alternative band. They had fun, which wasn't very "alternative" at the time. Not taking anything seriously, but making some damn fine music along the way. The songs stand up after all these years, and in a world filled with all that crap that ours is, this album is a nice escape. And did I mention it has 13 extra tracks and a DVD (with the "Peaches" video!) to boot? The extra tracks are great with b-sides and really stripped down, artsey versions of their songs (that almost sound contemporary). So that's pretty much 3 albums' worth of stuff they're giving to us in this "Ten Year Super Bonus Special Anniversary Edition," and I couldn't be happier. [www.presidentsrock.com]

I really, really, really wanted to hate Anberlin. On the surface, they seem to be ready made for my scorn. The cryptic pseudo-intellectual album cover, the emo-esque complicated song titles (i.e., “A Heavy Hearted Work of Staggering Genius”, “(the symphony of) blasé”), a page on myspace, the brooding photo shoot and promo pic. And that’s not even getting to the music - which is nothing new for Tooth and Nail: Power chords, brooding vocals, and my ultimate production pet peeve - all the vocals, rhythm section are all produced at the same level, which makes things just a little too smooth and, well, produced. To my surprise (or chagrin) some of the tracks did make me want to leave them on my playlist after the review was done. Within the unoriginal power-pop-punk-emo-whathaveyou genre, Anberlin seem to make do with what they have. The songwriter is stronger than some and seems to understand the basic ideas of harmonizing and consonant cord changes which are hard to argue with. The “oh ohs” and “yea yeas” seem to be in the right place. Anberlin has the potential to rise to the top of the pop-punk market, but that genre is under much scrutiny, so I am not sure how much of a widespread exposure or acceptance they will get. Either way, don’t expect a life-changing experience. [www.anberlin.com]

I tried to describe Enon’s sound to a friend recently, and all I could say was that it was like a soundtrack to a futuristic junior high dance. Or, I’ve tried to do it by comparisons: I’ve always felt that Enon is a second-rate Blonde Redhead. [Thus, that makes Black Box Recorder a third-rate Blonde Redhead). The formula always boils down to sugary-sweet ultra-feminine vocals + European sounding androgynous male vocals + some sort of electronica. On this collection of b-sides, Enon sounds like a fifth-rate Enon. So of course, I am one of those self-righteous music snobs who will not be limited to any one genre and who will be open to anything. Well, the fact that I can’t quite place this anywhere is one of my greatest annoyances. Each track jumps completely from one place to another and doesn’t quite have the structure of an actual completed work. I don’t need a strict verse-chorus-verse, but at least something that has auditory congruence? “Grain of Assault” is like a demented carnival game; “Genie’s Got Her Bag” is a mishmosh of tribal rhythms and performance art noise that ends up like a unharmonic jam band session. This is just to name a little of the bizarre experimenting Enon has done in their career that goes completely awry. People, sometimes tracks are rarities and b-sides for a reason. To clear my conscience, I do want to recommend that if you are interested in Enon, please try to listen to 2003’s Hocus Pocus, where Enon really showcases superb vocals and a mix of indie and electronic. [www.enon.tv]

Ok, let’s get this out of the way in the first paragraph; these guys sound like Spoon. There, it’s out in the open. It’s the first thing that will pop into your head when you hear the disc, and the only obstacle in your way to seeing exactly how amazing a full length debut this is. Transcending all comparisons in sound and rising above any pressure that might come from being a New York band, Tree City is a lush landscape of peaks and valleys, of up-tempo Beatles-influenced pop and grandiose melodic structure. Opening up with a couple of admirable tracks, the disc truly starts to hit its stride with “Beneath The Trees,” a lush relaxation gem, and “Amanda Green,” an infectious song about infatuation. “Love Underground” struck me as my favorite track the first listen through and holds up as a strong pop song time after time. Reaching the half way point, the balance of the album is what strikes you the most. It moves from groove to smooth to rock to pop without ever making the transition apparent to the ear. “The Price & Style” is the laid back masterpiece of the disc and opens up the second half with a bold but understated alert. “Bring On The Terror” picks things up a little bit as a beautiful lead in to the albums signature song, “Big Winter,” a song that combines every skill and style the band has into a great composition of what exactly makes them great. “Killer Bees” and “Hudson Tubes” continue with strength and style winding down into “Montefiore,” the cathartic caboose to the disc. The only thing that keeps this album from receiving the highest praise and honor is the fact that it does sound so similar to another band. Unfortunately for the band, this may serve as too big a hurdle for some to get over, but those who take the time to clear it will be well rewarded with one of the more stellar full length debuts of the year. As the year progresses, only time will tell what quality other discs will offer, but the chances are good this release will be right at the top of the heap when all is said and done. [www.robbersonhighstreet.com]

Until I did some research, I though Travis broke up. Yes, the band has been around longer than most people know (since 1996) and have released a number of tracks most Americans aren’t familiar with; but nonetheless, an album of radio singles is typically a posthumous endeavor. Furthering my confusion, the album cover places four photographs of the band members along the ledge of a white concrete wall. And inside the cover, a picture of a wilted flower, a smashed drum and an empty room with nothing but scattered Travis memorabilia on the floor obviously had me concerned. A sign for things to come? Only the raven knows? So I consulted travisonline.com, and as far as I can tell, Travis continues to keep on keeping on. Singles is a largely waste of record label resources. Beautifully ironic, isn’t it? But, the album is also the perfect Travis biography. “Why Does it Always Rain on Me,” “Driftwood,” “Turn,” and “Writing to Reach You” are all found on The Man Who LP. This album first introduced Travis to American ears, and it stands as their best to date. “Flowers in the Window,” “Side,” and “Sing” are compiled from The Invisible Band, a valiant but inferior follow-up to The Man Who. “Re-Offender,” “Love Will Come Through,” and “The Beautiful Occupation” come from 12 Memories. These tracks continue to show Travis’ maturation, as these songs are less pop driven and more akin to modern Coldplay and Elbow. Same beat, different drummer. That’s ten songs. We’ve got another 8 tracks on Singles that most British indie rock fans probably haven’t heard. “Tied to the 90’s,” “All I Want to do is Rock,” and “U16 Girls” are identity seeking growing pains similar to Paris Hilton’s sex tapes. The only difference is that Travis agreed to release these experiments to the public. Some things are better left forgotten, others aren’t…you make the call. Down to five. It gets slightly interesting here. “Happy” recorded in 1997 is scrap. But “More Than Us,” recorded in 1998, triumphantly exhibits Travis’ potential as this song would fit nicely on 12 Memories. “Coming Around” is cut out of the same casting as every song on The Invisible Band The last two tracks, “The Distance” and “Walking in the Sun,” are Travis’s most recent recordings, and they are not found on any album. “Walking in the Sun” remains true to the euro-indie-pop identity Travis comfortably relishes, but “The Distance” may very well be their finest song to date. Just like” More Than Us” did in 1998, this David Bowie inspired anthem makes you believe that Travis may actually go the distance, as long as they completely heal the nagging injuries of their past. [www.travisonline.com]

The Whole Fantastic World is a little known indie rock band (for now) from Tennessee with a penchant for melody, harmony, and smart songs. That described about 9 million other bands, but the balance of rolling guitar, melodious bass, well-balanced drum play, and engaging keyboards is not so common. "We've Got the Books" is a prime example of the bands ability to keep you hooked with a simple lyrical repetition seemingly about a worried individual's over indulgence in a chateau lafitte `88. "Beets For Bombs" is probably the most easily accessible track while "Postcards From Out Of Town" has one of the greatest bridges I've heard in awhile. The beauty in this record is the balance between simplicity and complexity. The sometimes angular and intricate guitar lines are always counteracted upon by a melancholiness that keeps anything from spiraling out of control. Add to that the fact that the lead vocals contain a sincerity that never crosses the line into overt drama, and you've got a winning combination. Chime! might not seem to break much new ground on paper, but after listening to the integration of musical styles and Daniel Sherron's vocal quality, you'll understand why it's proven that the indie rock formula still has room for improvement. [www.thewholefantasticworld.com]

Oneida are a strange beast. Their lo-fi indie pop is strangely alluring without ever really hitting the mark when it comes to over the top choral arrangements or catchy lyrical hooks. The majority of songs can usually be boiled down to a simple keyboard loop or riff that could be built upon ad infinitum. However, the band usually jumps right in and does their business without letting things get out of control. On Nice / Splittin' Peaches, the band continues in their usual tactics. The four-song EP averages about 2:30 a song until the big droning climax of "Hakuna Matata," which comes in over the 14 minute mark. So, whats the preferred method of delivery here? The epic drawn out ending track is a welcomed endeavour (though it's probably more engaging seeing it live), but the quick quirky tracks preceeding it have so much more going on that it's a bit more interesting to listen to. Oneida are an acquired taste but Nice / Splittin' Peaches easily gives you insight into what to expect from a full-length and gives fans more fodder for the collection. [www.enemyhogs.com]