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Back Pocket Memory: Beneath the Trees

Melodic Alt/Indie Rock

3.0/5.0

Independent/Unsigned
Website Facebook Twitter MySpace
by Craig Hartranft,  09.19.2011

The success of LA's Back Pocket Memory in their region is understandable: they deliver infectious and melodic indie alt rock. Beneath the Trees, their fourth EP in as many years, is no exception. This short disc is bolstered by sound vocals and vocal arrangements, coherent lyrics, tons of energy, some big rock riffs, and stylish production from Erik Ron (After Midnight Project, Versa Emerge, et al). Indeed, The Greatest Divide and Extra! Extra! are ready for indie and college radio airplay: friendly, catchy, accessible, and typical of the modern genre. Yet, therein lies my relative ambivalence. The songs on Beneath the Trees blur into easy redundancy. Predictability and familiarity may be simplest current running through this work. So then, how do they distinguish themselves from the pack? A true conundrum.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Back Pocket Memory offers melodic alt indie rock from familiar territory with lots of energy, but also some inherent predictability.

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By now it's old news. Everybody in the prog universe knows: Dream Theater got the band back together. Drummer and founding member Mike Portnoy returned to his Dream Theater family to celebrate their 40th ... [ Read More ]