I love EP's, especially from new bands: short, sweet, no filler, no "bonus tracks," no farts and sniffles in place of songs to fill up CD space - just the best a band can come up with to sell the world on their viability. I am convinced Eyes Like Knives are viable.

Eyes Like Knives (affectionately know to their friends as ELK) are Andre Obin - Bass, Chris Lawler - Drums, Rebekka Takamizu - Guitar/Vox, Scott Toomey - Guitar/Vox, and they prowl the Northeast from a Boston base where emo meets math rock on Dischord street. Scott and Rebekka's alternating vocals sound like a softball game between Fugazi and Lush (with Lush winning). Fans of (AYWKUBT) Trail of Dead and HUM will also be pleased.

The band isn't quite all the way there yet: other than the dynamic Lawler on drums (lots of fancy kickdrum pedaling), they are tight but not quite sharp and there is a sameyness to the vocals, but ELK storms and soothes equally impressively and appear poised to make a GREAT LEAP FORWARD in the near future.

Another Dawn and Eric production, contemplated from the road on our vacation.