Bishop Allen – Grrr...

Bishop Allen released an EP every month for a year, which is the kind of gimmick which – along with a tweeish indie rock sound – will undoubtedly cause blood to curdle like bad milk in the veins of some jaded interweb critics. No, Grrr…breaks no new ground and yes, occasionally they are reminiscent of a thousand other indie rock bands with a shabby but polite pop sound. So what? With straightforward simple melodies (“Dimmer”), loose but interesting arrangements and more than a few sharp hooks (“The Ancient Commonsense of Things” sticks especially well), Grrr… easily accomplishes what it sets out to accomplish. That it doesn’t overreach is a good thing, isn’t it?