Most Every Night

Lying in States honor those who made noise rock an integral part of the indie scene in the late '80s/early '90s, but successfully carve their own hungry sound on their debut full-length, Most Every Night. The Chicago five-piece doesn't hesitate with an aggressive demeanor, and the near-threatening approach makes Most Every Night quite an intriguing package. The shifty 11-track set weaves in and around the maddening guitar work of Fergus Kaiser and frontman Ben Clarke. These two offer a strong dynamic that accentuates the band's ready yet variable mix in sound and style. From the post-punk edges of "Most Every Night" and "Hot Mountain" to the sadcore-tinged "We" and the punky bits of "Yep" and "Tackle Me I'm on Fire," Lying in States comfortably blend the decadent with the moderate. Most Every Night maintains focus on a developing energy-soaked presentation. Clarke's shared vocals with keyboardist Jeremy Ohmes dodge comparisons to Mike Patton, Ian MacKaye, and sometimes a more frantic Morrissey, and such a feat will suck you into a hypnotic space. One might tend to criticize Lying in States for being a touch overzealous in their effort at being totally incomparable, but since they've pulled if off without pretense, Most Every Night speaks for itself.