Pompeii

Nothing Happens For A Reason

[4/5]

Austin, Texas-based indie popsters Pompeii are frequently compared to Death Cab For Cutie, with the musical aesthetics of Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky, but the quintet transcend such influences on their latest, Nothing Happens For A Reason. The key to the band’s sound is cellist Caitlin Bailey, whose rich string tones add immeasurable beauty and warmth to the songs, nicely balancing the sparkling-clean guitars and singer/guitarist Dean Stafford’s Ben Gibbard-esque tenor. There’s also a subtle emo vibe, with standout tracks “What Kind Of Future,” “Ready/Not Ready” and “Pillars” suggesting a debt to Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional, making Pompeii’s sound intriguingly difficult to define. Stunning throughout, there are many things to love about Nothing Happens, whether you prefer to kick back to Sigur Rós or Straylight Run. (EYEBALL; eyeballrecords.com) Brendan Manley