If there was an acoustic-oriented version of
Placebo, it might very well be this trio. The opening "Autobahn" contains all of the aura and nuances of the British group, with guitarist Chris Jackson filling the bridge with strong pop/rock riffs. The North Carolina band gives more of a spacy-cum-roots sound during the melodic "Painted Seats," falling in line with early
R.E.M. or
The Connells. But they pick things up with the jangle-heavy and infectious "Lasting Favorite," slightly changing gears throughout the song before aborting the effort far too abruptly. Another strong tune on the five-song album is "The Ghost and the Courthouse," a dark yet sugar-coated roots pop ditty. Wrapping things up is a
U2-esque "Pencil Me In" as Jackson gives his best performance. It's a solid EP, but not exactly jaw-dropping. ~ Jason MacNeil