Round About is an original Washington, DC area band formed in 2010 whose music combines perceptive, clever lyrics with upbeat, catchy melodies to create a unique yet accessible sound. (A sound that a previous review from Divide and Conquer generously likened to Fountains of Wayne – a high compliment.) Having released three albums previously, Round About’s fourth effort titled Inner Voices & Curious Choices was recorded in Studio R, at Cue Recording Studios, in Falls Church, Virginia, engineered three-day weekend last December, this album was born out of seeing how many different styles the band could fit under a melodic pop/rock umbrella. As the title reflects, the album features a collection of characters who find themselves making interesting decisions. The group states that the songs on this album are the most balanced the songwriting has ever been among band members, and frankly, the best they’ve ever played in the studio. Their genres include quirky pop and rock.
In the rock charged opener "The Blind Lead the Blind,” the band says this one goes out to the “blindsided people for whom the end of a relationship was unexpected.” The band’s sound is warm, and their style has a sophisticated quality about it. Just for comparison, Round About kind of reminds me of bands like XTC and The Rembrandts – at least on this song. Next up, is the groovy "Better with Time.” This head bobbing song comes complete with a great mix of funky beats, melodic bass grooves, vocal harmonies and catchy guitar riffs. The next track “Menagerie” questions whether love is worth fighting for – it’s always worth it – if the intentions are mutual, that is. This one has a great funky rhythm to it as well. There’s something about the way the band wrote this tune that reminds me of a great soul rock song that came out in the ‘70s. I think what triggered it for me was the guitar work on the chorus part. There’s also a fantastic guitar solo here, too. The next tune is a folksy shuffle called "A Single Kiss" and it features Eddie from Ohio's Michael Clem on harmonica. A nice change of pace and style on the album that kept me engaged. Moving on, the next tune is "In Between" – a quirky song that starts off with an offbeat rhythm. After a bit, the band bounces into a faster beat with the drummer hitting the snare on 4/4 rhythm. This one’s a fantastic rocker and it’s perhaps the band’s most energetic and dynamic. I really liked the atmospheric style and spaciousness on "Course Correction.” This song is about reflecting on life and the people giving warnings about who you listen to, and how we all get along. I liked the band’s choice of fading this one out. Another song about love is the reggae-ish "Sending Out Signals.” It was nice to hear the band changing direction by including a song with a different style. What I liked best about this track is that it wasn’t necessarily a traditional reggae song. I thought there were elements of soft pop and rock, too. I also thought that during the band’s more reggae-ish parts, their sound reminded me of the Police – maybe it was the bass? “Try as You Might” takes a gentler approach, in both sound and songwriting. You’ll hear some classic sounding organ, rim shots on the snare and a warm, inviting bass groove. The group then switches gears and plays a terrific bluesy rock solo – but just for a short while, returning to a softer sound to wrap up the song. A lot of great, tender emotion went into this track. The acoustic coda "The Most Important Thing" is the album’s last. Another reflective song that gives the listener another side to this talented band. No rhythm section present here. I thought this was one of the band’s most powerful songs, lyrically speaking, as well as one of their most memorable. “Love’s the most important thing we do” – true words indeed. If you’ve enjoyed this D.C. duo’s work over the last decade or so, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with Inner Voices & Curious Choices. It has a good variety of styles and melodies and overall, I thought it was an enjoyable album to listen to.
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