Leaving Our Homes

A compelling pairing of disparate elements, the debut from Northern Italy's Candies incorporates both sludgy Sabbath-esque guitar and subtle cello and vibes, sometimes within the same track. And neither really sounds terribly out of place when slated beside each other, either, as the band sounds totally comfortable, whether plowing through the no-wave noise rock of "To Connect" or floating on the lonely trumpet and reserved strings of "Our System." The menacing screams of "To Heaven" may even elicit a few Nirvana comparisons, although they're just as likely to land on contemplative, atmospheric moods. Overall, Candies do well to distinguish themselves from the legions of post-rockers who feel content to spin elaborate guitar puzzles without much thought to stretching their textural palette.