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Jul 27, 2011 Web Exclusive By Austin Trunick

Pittsburgh duo 1, 2, 3’s debut album, New Heaven, dips into a wide range of influences pulled from the last decade’s worth of independent rock. It’s nice to see a band use 10 tracks as a way to try out 10 different musical ideas. There’s something here that will appeal to most anyone regardless of individual taste, but when casting a net this wide there are understandably a couple weak spots here and there.

Singer Nic Snyder’s twangy croon and precarious falsetto feel like they’re being pulled along by the prominently-mixed percussion throughout the disc, his easygoing vocal style just keeping step with the beat. From its gently whistled opening to the fuzz-tinged guitar solo that zealously pans from left speaker to right and back again, “Heat Lightnin’,” the album’s standout, only reinforces this lackadaisical feeling.

The anthemic “Work” is escorted out the gate by clanging tambourines and a heavy drum beat and then lifted up by a buoyant, twirling guitar melody. The synths come on later in “Lonesome Boring Summer” and “Riding Coach,” which shrug off the more organic instrumentation on other tracks in favor of a slick, artificial groove. “Wave Pool” is defined by the melodic string section, creating the vintage feel of a ‘60s orchestral pop number. The country-tinted “Sorry, Soldier” is the most lyrically interesting song on the album, written from the point of view of a man waiting for his love interest’s soldier boyfriend to leave town so he can make his move. It’s a cynical song, but one that’s cruelly honest. The songwriting itself is strong throughout the LP.

New Heaven is a worthy inaugural effort, possessing enough variety to ensure it won’t wear itself thin too quickly. Give it a spin, and with so many different styles on display here, there’s sure to be something to catch your fancy. (www.123land.net)

Author rating: 7/10