Caps Lock

Slow, dreamy instrumentation is underscored with complex drum patterns on this album, which is the first release by the group of L.A. scenesters of the same name. Lead singer Laura Derby has a voice reminiscent of trip-hop diva Bjork — albeit far more watered down and anemic. The other regular members of the band — not to mention the half-dozen or so electronica heads that help out on various tracks — are longtime members of the Los Angeles club and underground scene, and it shows. This is very atmospheric music that borders on moodiness much of the time and descends all the way into its murky depths at others. If anything, the problem is that it doesn't pack much of a punch. It's easy to listen to, but equally easy to tune out. Fans of trip-hop will appreciate the clever layering and subtle dynamics in each track, but fans of more traditional rock or pop music will probably have a hard time getting into the lazy, hazy, quasi-opiated groove. ~ L. Katz, Rovi