Pure X

Formerly known as Pure Ecstasy, Austin, TX's Pure X sound as though they know something about altered states. Had Dean Wareham exited Galaxie 500 and fronted Verve instead of Luna, it would have sounded something like the hazy, Codeine-induced jams Pure X conceive. Their debut album, Pleasure, arrives following a few singles and an EP and, really, it should be marked with one of those "may cause drowsiness; do no operate heavy machinery" warnings. The guitars are pickled in balmy reverb and crisp distortion, building a wall of noise that flutters in place, while the drums never break free from slow motion. Nate Grace's voice barely rises above a murmur, though every now and then he launches into falsetto (check out the impressive cooing he unleashes on "Easy"), which does wonders for music this placid. And with such cavernous production, you have to wonder if they managed to lure John Leckie back to where he recorded A Storm in Heaven, which many people have been waiting years for. Pleasure may be a little vapid for some, but it's Pure X's commitment to never clearing up their cloudy haze that makes this album live up to its title.