Eye Alaska

So. Much. Love. For this band. They’re literally everything I could ask for. Sparkling pop melodies with intelligently written lyrics and none of the guilt of listening to actual pop music. Using simple and straightforward instrumentation for maximum impact, the fivesome manage to make artistic and cinematic music without having to rely on the fabled studio magic. Evocative without wallowing in self-pity, spacey without being stoner-y, infectious without being saccharine and easily accessible without being, ugh, adult-contemporary, these guys channel the good aspects of a multitude of genres without any of the associated bad. For example, modern emo and ’90s R&B were two things I never thought could effectively cross paths. Nay, they are two genres that shouldn’t cross paths. And yet, the band created a song like “American Landslide,” proving themselves to be a fearsome, ungodly chimera that can bridge two vastly different and often embarrassing genres for a masterful effect. What’s more, it sounds entirely authentic and un-gimmicky. Seriously, go hit that song up on their MySpace and tell me it’s not completely legit. That’s just a small fraction of what these guys can do. Frontman Brandon Wronski’s delicate crooning is a master class in storytelling and charisma, with both he and his band mates showing technical skill and attunement far beyond their years. - Brien Overly