Girl In A Coma - Trio B.C., Blackheart Records
GIAC’s sophomore release shows they have evolved, musically. The best example is “In The Day.” The sound is still familiar, but this one isn’t Both Before I’m Gone Part 2. Being able to change - yet stay in the same vein of music - is hard to achieve, but they prove that it can be done, with ease. Lead singer, Nina Diaz maintains her signature seductive vocals, which is the prime appeal of GIAC. Some of the collection’s best include “Static Mind” and “Baby Boy.” They’ll surely sound great live, so if you get the chance to see them when they roll through your town – do so.
(Shane Epting)

Pattern Is Movement - All Together, Hometapes
This is a band for musicians. Wait, this is a band for musicians who do acid, often. Yeah, that is the ticket. The sound is lo-fi indie, which is really awesome if you drive a Volkswagen Jetta. None of the songs follow a predictable script, which is why you’ll never hear them on your FM radio dial. Considering their genre, this is a good aspect rather than a bad one. This band thinks about the music they write. And they think deeply about it. If you are fed up with all-things-trite in today’s music market, All Together offers you a great escape.
(Shane Epting)

Little Black Dress - Snow In June, Idol Records
When most people associate the Pipes name with music, Deep Blue Something (and the multi-platinum 1990’s hit “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”) usually comes to mind. Now, thanks to a wonderful and solid disc of flowing, layered songs, the Pipes name may be better associated with Little Black Dress.
The Dallas band, with founding members Toby Pipes and Nolan Thies, is rounded out with a host of area musicians crafting melodic perfection. Songs are soft and organic, like a Cocteau Twins album. However, they add more urgency to the mix, allowing the twelve tracks to rock out just a little.
“Robin” is truly beautiful, though tracks are best suited as part of an entire collection. This is one album that needs to be played in its entirety, and not sliced and diced into singles on your Ipod. (Jason Janik)

Victor Gann - The Devil’s Been Busy
Gann does a great job of parroting music styles - so much so, that he almost invents his own. His (mostly) instrumental rock music sounds like it was written circa 1979. This album will do down smoothly with a few bottles of Lone Star, maybe a shot of Kentucky Deluxe. One of the best tracks is “A.R.O.” It’s reminiscent of a simple time – when you could still smoke in bars and bikers weren’t fat. If this album were a movie, it would be Roadhouse. Yeah, it’s like that movie – when Patrick Swayze gets “country freaky” with that unlikely hot blonde doctor chick. This album is like getting freaky with a hot blonde doctor chick and sporting a mullet, while taking a break from kicking dude’s asses. (Shane Epting)

Chico Fellini - Self Titled, Shangri-La Productions
Chico Fellini is a band, not a man. It may seem a bit confusing, since the nine, tightly-crafted tracks on this self-titled album seem like a lone, crazy man’s disco-loving manifesto scrawled on the bathroom wall of CBGB’s.
Sure, many other bands have already combined danceable disco with frantic punk and pop (The Killers for example), but this disc feels unique and new. Christopher Dennison provides top-notch vocals, though all four members create a band that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
The best tracks are “Despite the Mix Up” and “Hot.” Some, such as “Can’t Deny,” lean much more to the art punk side of the dial. Several sound like the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s with a male vocalist.
The disc may seem a little flamboyant, but that’s what makes it so great. It takes the most seductive, opulent and vain characteristics of music and exploits them, creating one very addictive disc.
(Jason Janik)

Ex Norwegian - Standby, Dying Van Gogh
This isn’t a shoe gazer affair, but it has a shoe gazer feel to it – whatever that means. The strong presence of uber-laid-back, indie rock aspect rocks and gives the album its merit. Most tracks follow each other well, but “Powerful” is different and provides a nice change of pace. Lead singer, Roger Houdaille sings like he’s trying to stay awake, though that works nicely with the relaxed guitars. Most of the lyrics are open to interpretation, which is fantastic, when you consider the chosen format.
(Shane Epting)