Believe the Thieves

Give a group electric guitars and a mission in life and you could have an utter disaster or 30 minutes of sonic bliss. We Were the States are intent on making this record the latter, even though they come off as a close cousin of Oasis during "Up Your Sleeve," driven by drummer Nick Devan. The group leaves nothing to chance and pours a lot into each track, despite most clocking in at well under three minutes. A great example of this is the airtight garage rock oozing out of "Red Lion," which sounds like the Strokes on some amphetamine high. Another keeper is the ensuing "Till Morning Comes" with its energetic Brit-pop style, while "Been Done Wrong" is also quite right in many respects. What primarily makes this record soar, though, is how the band is relentless in dishing out quality rock & roll with the infectious "Try," which resembles the Von Bondies. The centerpiece of the record is the slow-building "Girl, You're Not a Thief," a ballad-leaning number that appears to have the lead singer paying tribute to the Killers. The first breather comes during "It's Sad, It's You," a rather lethargic piece that is indeed sad. However, We Were the States nail the closing "Please Be Quiet" with a fair amount of verve.