Stars of Track and Field: Centuries Before Love and War (Wind-Up)
release: January 16, 2007
styles: Rock with some electronic help
rating: ***

Portland, Oregon trio Stars of Track and Field has two sides to them. One is the soft indie electronic side ("Lullaby for a G.I.") and the other is big rock, nearly arena-sized ("Movies of Antarctica.") The band began experimenting more when they replaced the bassist with programming, which may have led to such a difference within the same record. Hushed indie electronic is great and all, but the band actually does better when it's trying to be the next Embrace or Coldplay. I'm totally serial. -Kenyon
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Honey Power: Macrosilly (Seksound)
released: September 1, 2006
styles: Indie Rock
rating: *1/2

The name implies cutie indie pop, though this band from--of all places--Estonia is more like a less antagonistic Art Brut or the Fall. Honey Power's instrumentation is rooted in the school of post-punk and it's neither exciting nor memorable. The vocals are like a hungover Mark E Smith while the guitar never produces power or anything as sweet as honey. -Kenyon