In the late 90s, Joe Day’s band Static made some local waves in Seattle, but after their demise he took a new route with Mindhead. Opening with Simple Evolution, we’re given an an epic rock song, complete with edgy guitars, syncopated drums, and a melody that will break your heart. If nobody at 107.7 The End is playing this yet, they should be ashamed. This is one of the best full-on rock songs by a local band I’ve heard lately. After the Radiohead-ish opener, there’s a sudden shift to pure pop, in Where’s the World, which evidently nods to Elliott Smith. I am fairly convinced that Joe Day is much more influenced by Brit-pop than anything else. A Starry Night could just as easily have been a Neil Finn song, circa mid-eighties Crowded House (even though they’re NZ, not UK.) Of course there are Coldplay moments (especially in December), and overtones of The Verve, as well. The only glaring issue is that with so many style shifts on one album, it can tend to feel disjointed at times, but individually, all these songs are very well-written. No matter; Mindhead is highly talented, and solid in their efforts, and their live show is also absolutely gripping. Yessir, Joe Day can sing. He has chops that make the little hairs on your arms stand up straight. On top of that, his knack for songwriting, and musical presence is always a positive factor.