You may not have heard of the Mighty Fine yet, but considering the mighty-fine Orgcore company they find themselves in, maybe you will soon. American Steel guitarist/vocalist Ryan Massey produced their slick debut, Bad Timing for Everything, and even managed to snag a tour with Nothington and Spanish Gamble. But throughout this album's promising course, the Mighty Fine look to set themselves up for something far more ambitious and resonant.

At first, the Mighty Fine appear to ride the pop-punk hyphen in an able and relatively mature way, with leading vocalist/guitarist Brook Thompson bearing a clean, straight delivery containing the right touch of melody and charisma. When the band nestles into that categorization neatly, it's sort of like a gravel-less take on the Menzingers, but the band step outside the box plenty, especially as the record wears on.

There's a '90s alternative pop feel on "North" and a poppy prairie-rock meets Gods Reflex feel with "Brooklyn Nights." The type of restraint they exhibit is sort of comparable to Fake Problems' latest, Real Ghosts Caught on Tape, but when they come through with "New Face of Blue," it shines with warm, exploratory guitar tones and an as-yet-unrealized potential that's just indescribable. When they guide into the simpler, chuggier "Sally May," though, it doesn't necessarily sound like they're cheapening themselves--just having a little more fun, really.

This album isn't quite...well, you know...but the band is well on its way.

STREAM
Bad Timing for Everything