The Strangest Things
They may be tousle-haired New Yorkers with a penchant for fitted thrift-store trousers and a well-worn copy ofTelevision'sMarquee Moon, but that doesn't mean Longwave sounds anything like one-time touring partners and spiritual mates theStrokes. Despite his elegantly wasted delivery singer Steve Schiltz sounds moreJulian Copethan Julian Casablancas, and the band's music is decidedly less high-strung than that of contemporaries such as theRaptureandWalkmen. Songs like "Wake Me When It's Over" and "Meet Me at the Bottom" are stylish and expansive, evoking the familiar atmosphere ofU2!'sOctoberandRadiohead'sThe Bends, all the while sounding defiantly contemporary. It's not always easy listening but it's certainly rewarding.--Aidin Vaziri