Stranger Lazy -- The Cox Sintrific

Stranger Lazy is an "Indie" band in every sense of the word -- they make quirky, anthemic, lo-fi music, they are unsigned and they are from Indianapolis! Sounding like a less-heavy Pavement or busier Pixies, Stranger Lazy specializes in putting quirky riffs together that contrast and refract one another randomly like a kaleidoscope. Stylistically, The Cox Sintrific is fairly consistent, but dynamically it is all over the place. The inventive tunes range from moody to spastic, even symphonic in spots, mixing acoustic and electric guitars and drums with whimsical keyboards and other random bursts of sound. Frequently they use a droning or repetitive instrument as a base to construct their angular creations upon. The vocals are trippy and sometimes delicate, and the lyrics are full of non-sequiturs but still very heartfelt. All of Stranger Lazy's songs are non-linear; musical themes only last one or two minutes, and they flirt with dissonance here and there. Still, they have some strong hooks, like the vocal melodies on "And I Punched It" and "Clearing of Crows." But the main theme is that lack of repetition can be enjoyable. Expect to hear more from this little-known quartet very soon. (Ezra Waller) Grade: B