What Laura Says - Bloom Cheek
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What Laura Says runs the gamut when it comes to music genres, and Bloom Cheek, the band's second full-length, clearly illustrates this chameleon quality. Whether it's the jazz or rock or psychedelia, the band always sounds comfortable, playing with a certain enviable ease that is nothing short of natural. And maybe that's because they sound like a band of brothers, so in tune with each other on every level. They seem so aligned with their music that in performing, the music comes out of them like the air from their lungs.
The band made an impressive debut with their first full-length, Thinks and Feels, which was one of Mixtape Muse's Top Albums of 2008. Now, they are releasing their sophomore effort, Bloom Cheek. The vocals are filled with soul, the music is intricate, and the band never misses a step. Songs like "On the Fence" and "Keep Running Shoes Special" illustrate the band's strength in stepping outside the confines of straightforward beats like the stock 4/4. Their musical talents are not that far a cry from the complexity of the jazz-influenced structures and harmonies of Steely Dan, but with more of a blues-fueled rock 'n' roll sound. They have the technical prowess -- as evidenced on the instrumental "Roll Some Coin" -- but never rely too heavily on their abilities, avoiding the possibility of coming off as ostentatious.
