I was waiting for this one to come out. Even though this band features Jonah Matranga and J. Robbins, this EP is definitely not the meeting place of Far and Jawbox. I think I really like that about it. Recorded over some days in Baltimore, with guest spots from members of War On Women and the Pauses, this EP feels like it’s about experimentation, venturing into a land of guitars without distortion and taking the risk of simplicity. It works really well some of the time—though at times, it might get a little too close to something you’d hear on the top 40. Surprisingly, it at its best when it has a Sade quality: dark and super smooth. This feels like a record that was meant for this particular time; that is meant to be calming and incisive without being merely an escape. It’s supposed to pull us through without letting us completely lose it. –Theresa W. (Arctic Rodeo, arcticrodeorecordings.com)