I love the fall, the weather finally gets cold enough in Minnesota that I don't have to feel guilty for hating the outdoors and wanting to live in my bedroom. There are other reasons that the fall is the best time of year (the Twins run of destiny towards a World Series title being a prominent one), but the real reason fall rules is that it's the time of year when quality rock comes raining down in droves. So it's time for some round-up action to give the heads up on quality releases (including a few that have been out for awhile and I was too dumb to get to earlier).
 

The Prom — Under The Same Stars (Barsuk)
 

Pretty much anyone operating in the realm of independent rock as a piano trio is doomed to endless Ben Folds Five comparisons, which is really a shame as the ivory tinkling boys in Seattle's The Prom don't really share anything in common with BFF. These guys are earnest whereas Folds was incredibly cheeky, and they wear emo glasses, so this is really a whole different kind of piano band experience, right? Anyways Under the Same Stars, the group's second effort finds the talented trio greatly expanding upon the sound of their debut, the promising but dreadfully lo-fi In This Way They Found Me.

Increased recording fidelity is key here as the band brings in a lot of extras thouroughout (violin, cello, flute, trumpet, trombone) to spice up their spare melodies. The lyrics are somewhat twee and overly emotional, but this is college pop we're dealing with here, so that's far from a major complaint. Tracks like "Guarantees Aren't Easy" and the bouncy "The Same Complaints" are undoubtedly stellar additions to the indie-piano-boys imitating Burt Bacharach cannon. The Prom stumbles on the slower spare numbers like "Brighter Than the Moon" where too much emphasis is placed on singer/pianist James Mendenhall's voice, which is adequate, but not particularly remarkable. After some high profile tours opening up for labelmates Death Cab for Cutie it appears as though The Prom is possibly indie-rock's leading lights in the piano realm. Hopefully further records can expand on the promise shown here.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10
 

Superdrag — Last Call for Vitriol

(Arena Rock Recording Company)
 

After a couple of spins of the incendiary Last Call for Vitriol I can come to only one conclusion: Superdrag singer/guitarist Jonathan Davis was put on this earth to save traditional rock 'n' roll and slay the evil two headed pop-punk/garage rock monster. Six years after his brush with MTV Buzz Bin stardom (1996's "Who Sucked out the Feeling?") Davis, now 27, turns in arguably the record of his career on Superdrag's second indie-release since being shown the door by Elektra in 1999.

Clean and sober after struggling with alcoholism, Davis turns an unflinching eye towards his former self-destructive behavior throughout Last Call, resulting in some truly riveting songs. "Feeling Like I Do" is the hands down best song ever written about irresponsible drinking with its chorus of "I don't know what I've been trying to prove / Every time I get too fucked to move" serving as a warning to out of hand frat boys the world over.

The typically anthem ready choruses and chugging riffs one expects from Superdrag are all over Last Call, but Davis also seems intent on proving himself to be more than a one trick kick-ass rock pony. Davis also does some convincing dabbling in classic pop balladry ("Way Down Here Without You") and country-western swing (the violin and pedal steel infused "Safe and Warm") just to flex alternate songwriting muscles.

Superdrag make the kind of timeless pop that insures critics will love them and should get them plastered all over the radio but undoubtedly won't now that they lack Elektra's marketing muscle behind them. That's no excuse, however, for any self-respecting Macalester college student to not buy this album.

Rating: 9 out of 10
 

Peter Bruntnell — Ends of the Earth (Backporch Records)
 

How on earth did this guy end up on a major label? Bruntnell, a talented Brit somehow able to channel Americana better than any actual natives made Son Volt devotees wet their pants on his excellent 1999 album, Normal for Bridgewater, which balanced rock and country in a manner not done as expertly since, well, Son Volt's 1995 album Trace. A stateside release eventually followed later, and now comes his follow-up on corporate big boy Virgin's newly established Backporch Records imprint. Apparently Virgin is banking that roots rock will move serious units (uh, yeah…).

Ends of the Earth is an altogether adequate, if not earth shattering follow up to NFB. From the opening crunch of "Here Comes the Swells" it's clear that Bruntnell isn't intent on messing with the formula that got him so much critical attention on his previous album. The formula in brief: mid-tempo rockers in the spirit of Tom Petty (sans cheesiness) and acoustic weepers with tasteful violin, banjo or other country accoutrements. Bruntnell's warm raspy voice (reminiscent of Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy) is still in fine form and lead guitarist James Walbourne is a grade-A axe-slinger, however an unavoidable 'been there, done that' vibe hangs over most of the record.

There is still plenty of great music to be had here, in particular the harrowing acoustic closer "Lonesome Charlie," but it seems like Bruntnell could have dug a little deeper in the three and a half years between his albums and come up with more than a straight retread of his previous effort. Don't get me wrong, this is still going to end up as one of the top five alternative country albums of the year, it just doesn't carry any of the unexpected excitement that Normal for Bridgewater had in spades.

Rating: 7 out of 10
 

Bikeride — Morning Macumba (Hidden Agenda Records)
 

Southern California's Bikeride have managed to craft the ultimate album for anyone enamored with spastic short attention span indie-pop. Morning Macumba is all over the place, a gloriously wacky endeavor whose only mandates seem to be breakneck song tempos and over the top arrangements. The bouncy new-wave of "Fakin' Amnesia" sets the agenda for the rest of the record well: multi-layered helium pitched vocals, peppy touches of brass and a seriously Latin swing. Lead singer Tony Carbone spent time vacationing in Brazil when he wrote the bulk of the material on Morning Macumba and it shows, with a heavily groove based approach operating throughout. Lazy critics will say that Bikeride is imitating Brian Wilson and California's ultimate boys of summer, which is only partially true. Pretty much anyone willing to dive full on into crazy headphone charged music mixes and odd vocal harmonies owes something to the Beach Boys, so people should just get over it and enjoy the music. Ok everybody, on three, shake your groove thing!

Rating: 7.5 out of 10
 

Student Recognition Corner: Pat Leo - The Demos (Pat Leo Records)
 

In a musical world seemingly populated with an endless stream of overly earnest singer/songwriters and aching troubadours, it takes a lot to stand out from the pack. Milwaukee native and Macalester senior Pat Leo, at just 21, seems poised to make the move. This first collection of demo recordings, produced with the aid of close family and friends, presents a nice snapshot of a talent on the rise. "Moving On" is a melancholic tour de force with nice Byrdsian guitar fills and straight forward hard hitting lyricism. The other two cuts, both stately ballads, hold up just as nicely, with Leo's low-key and gritty twang clearly imbued with a slow burning intensity. One can only expect even better things in the future.

Note: Anyone interested in Pat's demo can get a copy by contacting him at pleo@macalester.edu.

Rating: 8 out of 10