The Photo Atlas

No, Not Me, Never

[4/5] It’s both surprising and admirable that Stolen Transmission snapped up the Photo Atlas before Jade Tree or Suicide Squeeze caught wind of them. The Denver quartet’s jagged, snappy debut revels in the post-hardcore edginess of bands like These Arms Are Snakes (without the guttural screaming) or Minus The Bear (with heavier guitars) while harnessing their own incensed energy. Singer Alan Andrews howls and warbles with the conviction of five men while his bandmates’ fingers fly across their instruments in rapid, rhythmic succession, giving the album a dark, dancey feeling. It almost could be the result of unprotected sex between the Faint and At The Drive-In, although the Photo Atlas don’t sound derivative of either. If Denver produced more groups like this instead of packs of screeching 19-year-olds with Underoath fetishes, the Colorado music scene might have a more prevalent place on the map. (STOLEN TRANSMISSION/ISLAND) Emily Zemler