I abide by one guiding principle when reviewing new music:  If I don’t like it, I don’t write it up.  Making art is tough and putting it out there is even tougher.  It’s not my place to tear anyone down.

The bad news for you is that means you don’t get a bunch of snarky comments; the good news is that when you see the “On My Turntable” headline you know I’m going to turn you onto something worthwhile.

So let me be the first to introduce you to a dark horse (yep, all lower case).    Hugh Rodgers and James Parker make music that  has been likened to Bon Iver and Smashing Pumpkins (at least in Billy Corgan’s medicated moments).  I can see that. The instrumentation is predominantly acoustic — piano, guitar, banjo, and even a bouzouki — and the harmonies are high and ethereal.  I’m going to take you back a generation, though, and suggest that their sound is closer to The Dream Academy.  Check out “Take Me Home” and tell me it isn’t a great companion to “Life In A Northern Town,” for example:

I’m keeping my eyes on these guys.  They haven’t even been together two years yet.  I have a feeling they have some big music ahead of them.

Interested?  Drop by their website, where you can download their debut EP for free!