Mic City Sons

Heatmiser was an indie rock supergroup of sorts, featuring songwriters Elliott Smith and Neil Gust (No. 2), as well as Sam Coomes (Quasi) and the multitalented Tony Lash. The quartet's finest and final album, Mic City Sons features a decidedly more pop feel than its predecessors and marks Smith's maturation into the role of the band's visionary. From the opening notes of the swaggering, bass-heavy "Get Lucky" to conclusion of the album with a soothingly soft hidden track, Mic City Sons is an outstanding collection of diverse and invigorating tracks. Songs like "Plain Clothes Man" and "You Gotta Move" exhibit the interplay of soulful, smooth vocals over gentle guitar strumming that has been so evident in Smith's solo work. The Gust-penned tunes, like "Cruel Reminder" and "Eagle Eye" are more rugged and aggressive, but complement Smith's songs brilliantly. There are no weak tracks here - in fact, "Pop In G" and "See You Later" are two of the best indie rock songs of the '90s - and the album flows incredibly well. Despite the success Heatmiser's members have achieved since their disbanding, it's unfortunate that this collective decided to split up just when they had reached such a creative peak.