Geronimo

Those who wept when Despistado called it quits over two years ago should be more than pleased to hear Geronimo, who feature both guitarists from the defunct Canadian act, one of which provided the lead vocals and does the same here. Picture caP'n Jazz. Picture early At the Drive-In. Picture well-crafted, spiky post-punk/post-hardcore tunes and your head is sufficiently prepared for the band's 2006 debut EP, Enlightenment in a Small Town.

Admittedly, sure, Enlightenment often seems like the next logical step from 2005's digital-only The People of and Their Verses by Despistado. But is that really a bad thing? Their songs are written in diverse proportions and always with that uppper-register, layered emphatic shout. "Just Like Water" is a more mid-tempo offering, with upbeat singing and an elaborate interaction of instruments. There's more disjointed material too, like "Progressive Revolution," where more twinkly and murmuring guitars join forces with a rhythmic, sort of spoken word, directly bringing to mind The Moon & Antarctica-era Modest Mouse. "Hope and Fear" is a neat, more heartfelt yet anthemic number, retaining the propulsive vocal charge and emitting an irresistable, sing and clap-along bridge. Enlightenment ends with the frenetic and viciously anti-materialism "I vs. Me."

Enlightenment in a Small Town is a bit of an overlooked gem from 2006 -- completely recommended to any Despistado fan, and further recommended to any fan of this type of mid-to-late-`90s indie rock.

STREAM
Enlightenment in a Small Town
Just Like Water
Hope and Fear