Apple’s Acre

Try as you might, there's no easy way to pigeonhole Portland, Oregon's Nurses; the band's sparse, off-kilter sounds occupy their own little niche. This doesn't mean that comparisons are impossible. Their freewheeling oddness recalls early Deus; their droning vocal harmonies could be made by the Polyphonic Spree as the members were falling off a cliff; and they have a similar ear for unconventional melody to that possessed by Volcano!. Nurses combine all of these elements with verve. With primarily organic instrumentation and warm, low-fi production, nothing is forced–although in some instances, the tracks feel a little too barren, and overall there's not a lot to distinguish between the songs. But a pervasive air of euphoria works its way through the record, making this a mostly engaging and uplifting listen.

Dead Oceans http://www.deadoceans.com