Little Joe

Little Joe Gould is local. The musicians are IU students, and they play guitars and stuff. But Little Joe Gould isn't that ordinary. \nWith a strong keyboard and samples backing brought by sophomore Vincent Edwards, scratchy, mellow vocals from sophomore Adam Turla and cello accompaniment courtesy of freshman Sarah Balliet, this band has a few discernable qualities. \nDiving headfirst into college rock, LJG puts a new spin on the mantra. The intense yet listener-attainable sound is attractive. Although filled with interesting lyrics, the instrumentation is the record's strongest point. \nAs dark as the scene on the album's cover is, the emotive sounds of LJG have a bit of an artistic quality, mostly drawn from the strings and keys. "Come Thursday," one of the album's strongest tunes, spins the lonely web of leaving someone behind with the influx of the band's definitive sound. Simple keyboard patterns, alternating heavy and mellow guitar bursts, melodic strings and haunting vocals piece together a portrait of the band. \nSenior Matt Armstrong on bass and sophomore Alex Schrodt on drums complete the sound with measures of unburdened rhythms. \nYet another grade-A sonic expression is "Raise the Shade," which begins with a light percussive rhythm and hypnotic keyboards and flushes out into a full song. With the lines say 'you're right'/step down/stop thinking out loud," Turla launches more lyrics that seem as natural to the instrumentals as grunge was to Seattle. \nOverall, the seven songs create a solid platform for advancement for any band. Little Joe Gould might just become bigger.