New Radiant Storm King

New Radiant Storm King are one of those bands that have somehow managed to survive through the past decade, releasing five previous albums, yet they flew under the radar and have emerged untouched and unnoticed. It makes you wonder how people find out about them at all, as the infamous mix-tape seems like the most likely candidate. Their sixth album, Winter's Kill, doesn't really offer up any shocks or surprises, as the music is somewhat mellower and less Pavement-esque than some of their previous offerings, but at the end of the day, fans will be happy with the results. Everyone else will be able to discover the band's rich mix of melody, guitar work and lyrics, and fall under their spell. Curiously enough, there's a strong Pernice Brothers connection, with guitarist Peyton Pinkerton currently playing with that band, plus Thom Monahan (another Pernice Brother) does production. And you can sense some of that influence in the vocal harmonies and melodies, giving them a more commercial edge than they've ever had before. Will it make any difference though? Only time will tell.