98 The Hard Way: EPs, Day 4

Very Secretary / Compound Red: Post-Marked Stamps Vol. 7 (Tree)

An overlooked entry in the overall very good Post Marked Stamps series, probably because it lacks a 'name' act to draw any attention outside of the devoted (like myself). It's really a shame too because both acts here are really quite good, and the tracks they present are complimentary without sounding like full on retreads of each other. Very Secretary offer the slightly better tune in "Nagarkot," which is a lush, intricate piece with echoes of chamber pop and an overall chilled mood that's incredibly infectious. Compound Red are closer to Tree Records' bread and butter with their soft-edged indie emo sound, but "Building" packs in a nice punch when the subtly distorted guitars rear up towards the track's end. But like I said, both of the tracks here are well worth investigating if you're a fan of the softer side of so called indie rock. [7.8/10]

Download link courtesy of Seguidores
 
The Cable Car Theory: The Cable Car Theory (Immigrant Sun)

It's hard to describe this without bringing up Current, one of the better Rites of Spring/Embrace successors that the early 90s brought out, but at the same time The Cable Car Theory do go a bit beyond that template. Sure the baseline sound is very much along the same lines as current, but CCT add in a few kinks to that description almost from the first track. There's the sprinkling of miniature guitar leads that betray a first generation metalcore influence, there's the varied guitar tones that they bring out on a few tracks that point to a much less Current-indebted sound in the near future - if I remember right their split with I, Robot pretty much confirmed that suspicion. But at its heart this EP is heavy on the Current worship, and there is nothing wrong with that. I mean, when they can crank out a song as great as closer "Song for Alexis" it realy doesn't matter who or what they sound like, does it? [8.0/10]