Written by Ron Trembath

Listening to Modern Skirts (MySpace) is like listening to the soundtrack of your favorite film on the Sundance Channel. They really found a home on a recent tour with R.E.M. (who could have the same thing said about them, but more likely Starz!). And this listener-friendly band’s sophomore release, All Of Us In Our Night, is an almost cinematic delight.

One way to know you are hearing a great album is when the ability to choose a favorite track diminishes with the next song begins playing. Each and every song has it’s own niche (managing to keep a similar tone throughout the album), that prevents you from changing the song. “Radio Breaks” may be the most obvious radio friendly single, with it’s pop-like aggression and assertiveness. But dig deeper into the tracklist, and “Motorcade” can be found. This tale of outcasts is best served with a glass of bourbon and a great batch of friends to sing along when the chorus hits. Modern Skirts have successfully blended obscure lyrics and catchy hooks into perfect smoothness.

For fans of blaring acoustics, All Of Us In Our Night is an obvious pick. But, Modern Skirts could also be for those who remember when you bought an entire album (possibly in a retail record store?) and hoped and prayed it would be completely pleasant. Here it is old-schoolers! Downloading these guys 99 cents at a time would be downright shameful. This album is to be heard in it’s entirety. Whether they sing of failing waitresses or cheap cars, there is something for anybody with a pulse on this album. Possibly one of the best indie pop records in many years…

Modern Skirts: Soft Pedals [mp3]

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[CD, 2008]

1. Chanel
2. Soft Pedals
3. Chokehold
4. Radio Breaks
5. Yugo
6. Face Down
7. Conversational
8. Astronauts