and if so, the Baltimore-based Thrushes are the first ones riding it. Their debut CD, Sun Come Undone, is a showcase of all the classic shoegaze elements, from texture created through the use of distorted, reverb-heavy guitar tracks, to the dreamlike quality of the harmonies between vocals and atmospheric sound, but updated with a modern rock twist.

    The album opens with two songs best suited for lovers, the second of which, "Hearbeats", is a huge nod towards "Honey" by Jesus and the Mary Chain, whether intentional or not. The rest of the album chronicles emotions such as loneliness and hopelessness, yet somehow manages to do it with very few lyrics through the instrumentals and wailing vocals. In some songs, the words are overpowered by the "Wall of Sound", but their simplicity proves that understanding what is being sung is not as important as how the sounds work together in harmony.

    Our favorite track is "Roy", a song that starts off slow with strong base-lines, and picks up at the end with the only male vocals on the record. All of the tracks have the same basic structure and sound [but not quite to the point of being annoyingly repetitious], so much that sometimes it's difficult to tell when a song starts and ends, as the songs flow into one another. The only song that breaks away to stand on its own is "Into the Woods", which also features some of the best drumming heard on the record, yet it unfortunately lasts only two and a half minutes.

    While we don't recommend putting this album on while trying to stay awake behind the wheel, as it might end up doing the exact opposite, this is a good ambiance album to relax to if you're not an Enya fan.