With the emergence in the 1990s and 2000s of , (the last of whom, like , are also from Chapel Hill), and now , there seems to be a mini-vogue for instrumental indie rock with a cinematic, desert-sweeping grandeur. This mine-genre is so small (and probably unlucrative) that it's impossible to accuse of bandwagon jumping. Nonetheless, for those familiar with the other acts named above, they'll spark unavoidable comparisons. Not so much to (who, despite sharing the same hometown, have a harsher and more dissonant rock aesthetic) as to , in the bent for twanging guitars and a certain Southwestern border feel. With both and , there's an affinity with the soundtrack drama of . What, then, makes stand apart? It could be that they're more eclectic than any of those other groups, particularly via the folk influence added by 's mandolin and banjo. There are unexpected sounds such as the -like guitar on and the classical cello on The compositions and melodies are moody and haunting, the tempos and instrumentally varied. It's still more suitable for ambient diversion than foreground excitement, but it's a nicely done, decently imaginative recording. ~ Richie Unterberger