Reviewed by Haydon Spenceley

Mono Vs Stereo is one of the foremost up and coming US indie labels on the scene, and this compilation is an interesting release in their growing canon of interesting releases. The record features members of Relient K, Bleach, Ace Troubleshooter and the OC Supertones, bastions of the US alternative scene, and in the case of Relient K, enjoying a surge in popularity currently, and their side projects. Five bands on show here: My Red Hot Nightmare, featuring two members of the Supertones, and Agnes, featuring Dave Douglas of Relient K, offer raucous rock of the punk variety, while Royal Empire Music bring alternative rock similar to Mae and Ben Folds on their three tracks. Perhaps the best tracks on this surprisingly even compilation are provided by Matthew Thiessen And The Earthquakes. The Relient K frontman is a solo act (despite the name) on these tracks, and they are all strong, poignant piano-led songs. A full album cannot come soon enough from him. Tyler Burkum, erstwhile guitarist of Audio Adrenaline, has embarked on a solo career and here he provides three songs showing that he has the potential to be a big star in his own right. "Under The Sea" and "Better Part Of Me" are especially strong examples of contemplative acoustic introspection. Mono Vs Stero should be commended for releasing such an interesting piece of work.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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