Everything Feels better Now. Photo via: fromindianlakes.com

The Band: From Indian Lakes is the inspired product of Joey Vannucchi, a talented multi-instrumentalist from, you guessed it, Indian Lakes, California. In 2009, Vannucchi enlisted the help of several friends, and together they independently released a full-length album titled “The Man With Wooden Legs.” In 2012, they released another album, “Able Bodies,“ which was, again, completely independent. The band signed with Triple Crown Records for the release of their third project, “Absent Sounds“ in 2014.

The Album: For the new album, “Everything Feels Better Now,” Vannucchi recorded all of the vocals and instrumentals himself. He used old-school analog recording equipment and didn’t use any post production editing. Vannucchi created all of the effects during recording, for example, he used tape recorders to create the delays and overlaps. The more that you listen to the album, the more impressive this feat becomes, especially during the songs “Feel Love” and “American Dreams” which incorporate a lot of echoes and reverberation. The album is highlighted by “The Monster,” which is a funky, upbeat pop song where Vannucchi depicts himself as a monster who is incapable of having a healthy relationship with anyone and how he tries to turn his life around.

The Sound: From Indian Lakes has a distinctive sound, indie-pop that somehow manages a quiet intensity and is laced with a minor folk influence. The song “Blank Tapes” is reminiscent of many of their most famous songs, such as “Am I Alive” and “Anything.” These songs share a unique fluctuation between upbeat indie-pop and quiet, intense and even haunting verses that make From Indian Lakes so distinctive.

Is It For Me?: From Indian Lakes has a fairly unique sound, so direct comparisons to other bands are difficult. They have a similar musical style to the more folksy and laid-back songs by Half Moon Run and Neutral Milk Hotel. Additionally, they have the same “minor angst of a teenage band” sound as Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin.

Final thoughts: From Indian Lakes is one of those bands where you know, even before the album comes out, that it’s going to be good. Vannucchi is a serious musician who doesn’t cut corners, and as a result, the new album is just as good as each of their previous releases.  9/10