"Chiyoko"
By Chris Brown

Sound and style:
A collaborative between Sweeder drummer Chiyoko Yoshida and Red Red Meat's Brian Deck, Chiyoko treads down a similar path to both bands,infusing a bit more introspection and melody into its cryptic pop songs.

Recording quality:
A typical Clava Studio endeavor: warm, fuzzy and lo-fi.

Bottom line:
I used the word "cryptic" above, but Chiyoko's music is by no means inaccessible. Beneath the layers of electronic noises and manipulations are strong, catchy melodies, epitomized by the opening track, "Bleed." This is a smart, tasteful and imaginative take on rock 'n' roll.