From song to song, this Illinois band tosses upon a stormy sea of loud-soft-loud, meandering songs most neatly described as dreamlike. Though the vocals seem a bit too loud in the mix and push the music into the background, especially on songs like “Kiss in the Dark”, lyrics reveal some poignant ideas. On opening track “Walk in the Woods” their sing/speak style seems a bit limiting and begins to grate on my ears. However, co-singers Harman Jordan and John Owen, (who also share writing and guitar duties), can hold a few nice notes, and often choose to hold them long enough to recall Ian McCulloch, but that may be a stretch. There is a hint of the Bunnymen’s haunting mystery in the airy guitars and post-punk rhythms, however. “House of Cards”, which was also the name of the band’s 2006 EP, brings the tempo up at midpoint with some vibrant glam backing vocals and a memorable groove. (None Records) –Frank Stein

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