This is a CD I picked up from a band in Colorado Springs. I have no excuse for the length of time it’s taken me to write this review, except that the more I listen to them, the more I think to say about them.

Jump the Hedges First is a very solid album, quick-paced and, at times, frenetic. Vocalist Jeff Fuller has a pleasantly scratchy voice, which he uses well through the album’s quieter parts and over the cacophony of guitars, piano, and drums. “Throwing Broken Shapes” has a catchy guitar hook and a headbobbing beat; Fuller’s rough voice makes “Poison Tester” even more touching as he admits, “You speak in terms of beauty/I slur of glory past/but I’d be a better person/if you were my better half.” “Stunning Upon” is simply stunning as it begins simply and then swells with both piano and guitar; “Painted Grenades” is more pop-filled and radio-ready.

Although, at times, the band seems to rush through their songs, overall this is a solid debut from a young group of guys. Amid the masses clamoring for recording contracts, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Against Tomorrow’s Sky comes out ahead.

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