Altitude

Sounds like … arty indie rock packed with hooks along the lines of The Smoking Popes, Duvall, Copeland, Superdrag and Mae.At a glance … former members of Five Iron Frenzy and The Rocket Summer team up for an ambitiously performed, intelligently arranged and smartly written album. Track ListingSilhouette Chance of SunbreaksForget What You've HeardMaterialPlumeMulberry Some Other WayGravity BootsSeedFall Out of LineHello to Never I Can AwakeImaginary Friend

Whenever a band divides, it's always interesting to see what its members will do next. In the case of former Five Iron Frenzy and The Rocket Summer, former players formed Yellow Second, a Denver-based band that's been going the grassroots route for the last few years. Along the way, they've released a pair of indie albums, performed with Something Corporate, Relient K and Number One Gun, amongst several spot dates.

After catching the ears of Floodgate Records, the foursome focused on a full-length debut, Altitude, packing it tightly with artistic yet radio-ready indie rock. "Silhouette" kicks off the record with Scott Kerr's restrained vocals over a reserved rhythm section that builds with emotion and authority. Such momentum crashes directly into the assaulting "Chance of Sunbreaks," a superbly crafted, fleshed-out fist-raiser. A return to a more even temperament carries much of the hook-heavy "Forget What You Heard" and the sunny "Material," both candidates for the airwaves.

"Seed" makes for a trippy summertime soundtrack, akin to something Superdrag or Smoking Popes would put out, while "Hello to Never" takes on an even cheerier, swing-filled back beat. Lyrically, Yellow Second is at its strongest during the rapidly performed "Fall Out of Line," seemingly about a friend slipping from grace. The Weezer-inspired "Imaginary Friend" and the Copeland comparable "Mulberry" both touch on relationships and the strain that comes to them through sin and misunderstanding. It's just another factor that sets Yellow Second off to a solid start.