On their self-titled debut,
Snowbyrd offer guitar-oriented, mildly alternative rock that is unremarkable and straightforward. While the arrangements offer tightly wound guitar dynamics that make skillful use of slight distortion and sustain (sometimes supplied by Scott Lutz's pedal steel), the songs are vehicles for average, no-frills melodies and winsome low-in-the-mix vocals. A bit more offbeat accents come into play in the rock-reggae beats of "St. Mary's Nights," the eerie
Pink Floyd-ish electronics decorating "For Today," and the power pop arc of "AC Satellite," and Manny Castillo can hit the drums with taut sleekness. There's not much to hang onto here, however, in terms of either notable songs or stylistic ingenuity. ~ Richie Unterberger