May 2005

Louisville Eccentric Observer
May 11, 2005
Between Two Lions (EP)
by DOUG RAPP

New Albany’s Between Two Lions has released an EP of sharp and jangly pop tunes, like REM and later-day Lemonheads. Opener “Walking Awake” floats over the same somberly discordant chords Evan Dando used to croon over. “Pop Song” is, well, a catchy pop song, with backing woo-woos and lyrics like I’m feeling alone, I throw a Velvets record on because I’m digging the tone. “Put On a Shirt” sounds like an intriguing demo of John Mayer jamming with Shudder to Think.

The trio shifts into alt-country mode with “Anthem for a Heartbreaker,” and then rolls into Stonesish territory with “Tracey,” a sly ode to a girl who broke songwriter Engle’s heart not once, not twice, but three times.

The eight-song EP closes with “Twenty-four,” a reference to the 24 years since Engle poked my head in at this world rather than Kiefer Sutherland. The band kicks it up a bit more toward the end, charging into a Neil Youngish guitar solo. Engle has a lot of ideas based in some tried-and-true schools of rock, and it should be interesting to see how these guys evolve. Between Two Lions plays the newly opened Oasis (1506 Lake Shore Court, 412-2275) with Bloom Street on Friday at 10 p.m.

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