Fairburn Royals

A melodic indie pop outfit, the Fairburn Royals came together when the members were students in Athens, GA. College came and went, and the members remained together making music because, as their website says, "we're friends who have contrasting music tastes and enjoy being around each other. Our music is the result." This nonchalant attitude has no doubt been advantageous to the band's musical progression, as they've created a pressure-free environment to experiment in, free of the influence of labels and scenesters. The Fairburn Royals released their debut record, Sunshine Slowdown, in 2001. Ambitiously formed as a concept album, Sunshine Slowdown avoided the usual trappings of such affairs by being subtle and not at all pretentious or rock opera-esque. Drawing from influences as diverse as Neutral Milk Hotel and Fugazi, the band's sound rests happily closer to the former. Guitarists Matt Lisle and Wesley Black's strong, pop-influenced melodies set the stage for endearingly soft-spoken Lisle to lilt through lyrics that show a beautiful knack for detailing everyday situations and making them seem extraordinary. Numbers like "Rather Be Flying" and "Secretary's Day" took on such seemingly mundane situations as checking one's answering machine only to find that it's still empty and the unfortunately forgettable titular holiday, respectively, and the results call to mind the sly sweetness of Jeff Mangum or Silver Scooter -- fine company for any songwriter to be in. The fact that the Fairburn Royals were in their early to mid-twenties while making the album makes its strength, and their untapped potential, all the more astounding. Released through the very indie Happy Happy Birthday to Me collective, Sunshine Slowdown went largely unnoticed by the college rock masses, but...