STRAYLIGHT RUN - Straylight Run (Victory Records)
US indie band Straylight Run formed a couple of years ago with the remnants of Taking Back Sunday combining with the drummer from Breaking Pangaea and adding in guitarist John Nolan's sister Michelle. Nolan and Shaun Cooper had already recorded some demos on their own, and they form the basis for this album. Six months ago I would have been hard-pressed to say who they sound like, but on opener 'The Perfect Ending' Keane springs immediately to mind. That does not apply to the whole album, though, with songs like 'Another Word For Desperate' and 'Dignity And Money' being much more raucous, although the prominent use of piano on 'The Tension And The Terror' and 'Sympathy For The Martyr' does continue the comparison. 'Mistakes We Knew We Were Making' has a subdued opening before a soaring chorus bursts in to make a moving and uplifting song. As well as providing backing vocals, Michelle also gets to sing lead on 'Tool Sheds And Hot Tubs' and 'Now It's Done', showing that she has a fine voice which should be utilised more. Overall this is a most professionally produced debut, packed full of memorable, hook-laden songs from a band who sound like they have been around for much longer than they have.