Acute - Arms Around a Stranger

While listening to the full-length debut by Acute, 2007's Arms Around A Stranger, it becomes obvious that the members of this Los Angeles outfit are not afraid to wear their influences on their sleeves -- the fuzzy pop hooks of Weezer ("You Want ItNULL Take It! It's Yours!"), Cars-esque new wave ("The City"), pre-Document R.e.m. ("Saint"), cheery piano pop ("Trouble"), etc. But it's not a mere ripoff of these aforementioned bands/styles; the Acute chaps (including members of Poulain, Now It's Overhead, and Ozma) have thoroughly processed these influences through their own musical blender, with an emphasis on lush pop songcraft. Read More