Balls Falls

Balls Falls might just be too witty for their own good. Their musical proficiency is indisputably solid and their aptitude for writing lasting melody lines can be downright haunting, but something tells me this band could go much further if they weren't so damn happy about everything. But if you can get past the occasional bout of "tongue in cheek" goofiness, you'll probably love The Crossing Guard. At their best, Balls Falls sound like a peppy version of the Wooden Stars, and at worst only really gets as far as a somewhat straightforward Rheostatics song. As far as musical spectrums go, having two of the country's best rock bands as influential bookends can definitely say a lot about the calibre of a band. If only they'd take things a little more seriously, Balls Falls could turn silly into quirky; a tried and true trait that people around these parts normally eat right up.