the pathetic caverns - music by artist - Innaway

Innaway's self-titled record reminds me in a weird way of Radiohead and The Flaming Lips, even though it doesn't sound much like either band. Acts like Muse and Coldplay founded their careers imitating Thom Yorke's singing and vaguely The Bends-ish chord progressions/arrangement dynamics with varying degrees of accuracy. The most emblematic quality of the Flaming Lips is almost certainly producer/collaborator's Dave Fridmann's sculptural use of sound, which only sometimes overlaps with the conventional notions of the noise a "rock band" makes.

Innaway's resemblance is one of mood more than specific sonic details. It's definitely a rock band with experimental leanings, not an experimental band with rock leanings. "Threat Hawk" opens the record with a deceptively conventional blues harmonica riff, and throughout there are guitar solos and moments of unashamed bombast. But minimal keyboards parts drape songs like "The Strings of North Egg" in hazy drones. Flanged harmonizing guitar lines, fuzzed-out bass, and distorted drum loops approach trippiness, but never quite get to the point of only sounding good to the stoned. It's also clearly meant to be listened to as an album — the compositions flow seamlessly into one another, and instrumental interludes are mixed in with actual songs.

I'm hesitant to recommend this disc to ardent fans of Radiohead or The Flaming Lips — it's fundamentally more conventional, and the vocals lack strong distinctive character. But it's definitely a promising debut.

This review originally appeared at Avoid Peril.