My Rocks Are Dreams

When the bleating piano of "We Do Not Belong" is joined by martial drums and Will Schwartz's pleading vocals, it takes about 10 seconds to realize you're in it until the very end. Every track on Psychic Friends' debut is like that: there's an instant connection, an undeniable familiarity to the haunting melancholy and superb melodies and choruses. If Schwartz's name or voice is familiar to you, it may be due to his work in the long-running and wonderful Imperial Teen, or perhaps his dance-oriented project Hey Willpower. Still, we suspect these songs impart their own sense of comfort and familiarity just because they're so darn good, and because Schwartz seems like he's been doing this sophisticated pop thing forever. It's in his blood. Think of Harry Nilsson or The Zombies' Colin Blunstone, updated with an infusion of whatever it is that makes Spoon such a special band, and you're awfully close to Psychic Friend's beautiful sounds. It's impossible to pick a favorite, but the infectious opener, the ballad "Once a Servant," the bittersweet "Softer Side," and the scruffy "Silent Show" are all great places to start.