The Cycles (AutoVaughn)

In May 2008, the Nashville, TN based band, AutoVaughn released the e.p. The Cycles. It wasn't long after that, that AutoVaughn was getting hundreds of plays on MySpace - and this album deserves it.

Intense vocals and an over-driven guitar, on Inertia, launch the 6 track e.p. into the listeners ears. Immediately the band joins the vocals in a catchy chorus. The outro bangs out a great solo and snare drum. Maybe not as solid a song as the title track, but Inertia knocks out a good introduction for what's to come.

The next track is the title track: The Cycles. Opening with a great circular riff, I'm immediately drawn into this song. There are great hooks in the verses. The choruses are reminiscent of Depeche Mode, minus the abundance of synth sounds. You'd never guess these guys were from Country Music capital of the universe. The Cycles boasts catchy hooks, pop writing with a very euro-rock sensbility.

Missing Something brings the intensity down a notch with a ballady acoustic introduction. I imagine it won't be long that this song finds itself in the background scenes of Grey's Anatomy and the like. A great story, good song. Less rock, more The Fray/Mat Kearney.

As the album continues, it really picks back up with Our Confidence. Not many songwriters use the word "periwinkle," but clearly AutoVaughn make it work. This track is a kind of chorusy, choral, group anthem that poses their most political ideas and questions.

The Cycles closes with a catchy, TV Theme Song ready, tune in Dream a Little. Again, using his most Depeche Mode qualitative vocals, this song is what you'd expect in a pop-rock album.

All in all, I felt that The Cycles and Missing Something were clearly their strongest songs of the e.p., but the rest is complementary of the whole. My opinion, buy the 2 singles on iTunes and you'll get the idea.

RATING: 3.5 of 5 stars.