New Jersey's
Elemae champion diversity on
Popular Misconceptions of Happiness, alternating between powerful indie rock and experimental soundscapes with largely successful results. Launched with a pair of tunes ("Sleeping with Adrenaline," "Disappointment Book") that can't help but draw comparisons to
Jimmy Eat World, the group soon enough ventures into melodic territory with the soft, dreamy instrumental "Happy Cinematic" and its acoustic companion, "Kamikaze." If the relaxed shoegazer wash of "The Fall of Summer" closely resembles the sorely missed
Sense Field (not a bad thing at all), the lilting acoustic tact of "Soulsweeper" is arguably the pinnacle of an album worth seeking out. ~ John D. Luerssen