Llama Farmers

Although based in England, you wouldn’t be able to guess by listening to Dead Letter Chorus. Sounding more like fuzz rockers Weezer, Hum or Guided by Voices than anything out of the UK, these kids know how to crank things up if they have to. Oh, and they are definitely kids — this album was recorded before all the band members turned 19. All in all, this is an impressive effort, especially considering that their demos stirred enough interest to get them opening gigs for bands like Foo Fighters, Green Day and 3 Colours Red. The album features sharp melodies and a good range of energy — softer tracks like “When We Were Ffriends” allow for a break after the noise of “Zorillo” or “Jessica.” Bass player Jenni Simpson gets to lend her smooth vocals to “PVC,” which is a nice touch. These folks clearly grew up as part of the Nirvana generation and it shows. It has its weak moments and loses steam a bit towards the end, but this is a noteworthy debut for a band that has lots of potential.