Stegosaur – Adventure [7″]

Adventure is a three-song 7” by Stegosaur. This is a strong offering for the band from Austin and San Antonio, Texas;  three songs wasn’t quite enough, in my opinion. All three showcase good, solid indie rock with an obvious base of talent within the band. From the lyrics to the music itself, it’s all quality and has a bold sound that is at once interesting and easy to listen to.

Jerid Reed Morris, the lead singer, has surprising range and an utter conviction to the lyrics that is refreshing and fosters a real connection to the songs. Jose Clemente Rodriguez on guitar and rhodes, Daniel Hawkins on bass and vocals, and Rudy Villarreal on drums round out the sound – as a band they gel well together. They may be a young band but they have a maturity of sound that other, older bands could learn from.

Adventure begins with Headache, a short and punchy song. It’s the vocals that stand out here – Morris gives it his all, easily handling the changes in pitch and timing that punctuate the track. Big Breath is a song for summer barbeques and road trips – catchy, fun chill-out music that’s skillfully arranged, with a good mix of tempo and wistful lyrics.

Bloooooood is an interesting song with a clapping beat and subtle guitars. Again, the vocals are strong and the lyrics are intricate without being pretentious or obvious. Texturally, this song is an achievement and should easily prove a hit if it receives the airplay it deserves.

All in all, this is a great trilogy of songs. It is enough to give a taste of what the band has to offer, but not nearly enough to form a properly educated opinion of the band’s real strengths and weaknesses. There is clearly an excellent songwriter and vocalist and some talented musicians here, and I look forward to hearing a full length album to see what they can really do.