Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Review: Bos Taurus “In The Sun”


Indie rock/pop

Led by guitarist Steve Chesser, the Delaware-based band Bos Taurus released their latest album, “In The Sun”, earlier this year. He’s joined by a set of “who’s who” among the indie power pop and rock arena, including lead guitarist Shawn O'Neill (The Knobs), bassist Sam Musumeci (The Caulfields, Mercy River, The Knobs), multi-instrumentalist Phil Young (The Cocks, The Knobs, The Rubber Uglies), drummer Pete Romano, and backing vocalist Heather Plank.

Themes of loss, disappointment, and regret predominant on “In The Sun”. The sound of the band draws heavily from its influences, which include The Pixies, The Shins, and Yo La Tengo. If you’re into any of those bands, odds are you are going to dig Bos Taurus. Building from their recent success in earning a Spark Award for the Best Pop Band at the 2009 Delaware Music Awards, Bos Taurus is raising the bar on this sophomore effort. The songs here are meticulously crafted with well-placed harmonies and a mix of acoustic and jangle pop guitar tones. Highlights include the Posies-inspired “Even Now”, the bouncy and horn-laced “Just Like Lightning”, and the driving rocker “The Silence”. Reminiscent of R.E.M.’s heyday, the title track is one of my favorites, with Plank’s backing vocals providing the perfect accompaniment to this savory piece of ear candy. The back half wasn’t grabbing me as fast, but I sense that with repeated listens a deeper appreciation of the songwriting will reveal itself.

No sophomore jinx here – Bos Taurus has gone to new heights with “In The Sun”.

Bos Taurus – Official site.

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