Inspector Owl - Life Finds A Way

According to their MySpace page, Illinois quintet Inspector Owl’s influences include “fireworks, waffles, fake plastic animals.” There’s some truth to that. “Drive Yourself” blasts the album off like bottle rockets in an empty high school gym. “Clever Girl” is sweet like maple syrup, and “The Gentleman’s Duel” is like a fake plastic animal you’d give to your coworker the day they made, just out of the blue, a pot of coffee for the office. These happy collaborations of instruments (violins, synthesizers, and previously untapped percussive resources) do lack musical maturity and a sharper focus, but if you have a few minutes and want to blow off some steam, throw on the album and goof off. You’ve earned it. [www.inspectorowl.com]