No Place

Often dubbed part of the post-hardcore scene, Sacramento, California ensemble A Lot Like Birds don't fit easily into any given category, choosing to shift their musical directions ceaselessly in the course of almost every song. Under the guidance of bandleader and guitarist Michael Franzino, the somewhat mercurial membership of the band ends up in a prog-like territory that melds post-hardcore screaming, technical rock/power metal precision, and patches of airy ambient and electronic textures. Third full-length No Place sees this odd yet successful formula at its most produced, with dual vocalists Kurt Travis and Cory Lockwood delivering a mixture of screamo howls, pretty melodicism, and soul-searching spoken monologues, often all before a single song comes to a close.