THE FEVER ///
RED BEDROOM ///
KEMADO ///

It's a modern-rock-age-old story: a group of brothers/friends/acquaintances, all connected through a desire to fuse the sounds and aesthetics of all their favorite yet disparate bands, gets together in the dark recesses of a seedy waterhole/garage/club. Said band then hammers together a few "genre-splicing" yet taut and visceral songs, plays intimate gigs and earns a following based on the merits of their blistering live show. After a few hundred gigs, a label has the foresight to invest in said band and produces an EP that garners enough buzz to silence the hometown haters. Finally, our archetypal band hits the big time and releases a full-length debut that proves the band's ascension. The fans delight, the band is lauded for their hard work and vision, and Music, in its most deified sense, is better for the entire episode. The gods have looked favorably upon one such band; The Fever has emerged victorious.

Let's not break out the bubbly and start writing Hall of Fame speeches yet. The Fever does have the looks, the chops, and the songs. Walking the line between catchy and complex, they can hit the stage with the best of them and overcome every barb and disparaging "dance rock" connotation with a jab and a laugh. Following their Pink on Pink EP, The Fever faced the all-too-familiar fears of the sophomore effort and, luckily, they have definitely come out swinging. The rest of Red Bedroom showcases the band as a more textured and introspective lot. With a few remnants from the EP in tow, it retains all of the punch and oddly placed sonic allusions Fever-fans have come to expect. A little Bowie, some Pixies, and white belt frenzy, the mix has proven to be just left field enough to allow the Fever to create an aura all their own. Red Bedroom is not the sound of a trend overstaying its welcome; it is the sound of a band taking the next step in its evolution. I just love it when the Fates come together. Miguel Banuelos