Ramona Falls - Intuit

For the unaware, Ramona Falls is the new side project of Menomena's Brent Knopf. Stripped down to Knopf's painfully earnest vocals, Intuit still carries some of Menomena's poppier moments, but they are few and far between. Instead, Knopf has created an album where his voice and bitter lyrics are the focal point, and the end result is much darker than most fans will be used to. Case in point: the fever pitch of crashing drums and electrified keyboards on "I Say Fever" sounds like a hurricane come to life. Elsewhere, the swelling instrumentation and quaint melodies of "Clover" are epic and intimate all at the same time, the intricate guitar-picking on "Russia" syncs perfectly with Knopf's pleading vocals, and the strange sound effects and crescendo of keys on "Salt Sack" are reminiscent of a Menomena gone off the deep end. Ramona Falls isn't a replacement while you're waiting for a new Menomena album, it's an entirely different band altogether, and one that is definitely worth your while.

DOWNLOAD: Link Removed Per Label Request [Barsuk]
Recommended Tracks: "Melectric," "I Say Fever," "Clover," "Russia," "Bellyfulla."