Anthems for the Already Defeated - Rock Plaza Central - Are We Not Horses? - 2006

So my office held a party last night, nothing too big just a few after work cocktails on a thursday, something they say will be a weekly occurance. But as always the draw was the free booze...which was restricted to beer and wine, but hey who's complaining? Anyway when we realized that all of the other guests had left, me and two of the guys I work with decided that it was our job to finish up the remaining liquor. This took us till about 1030 and involved me drinking champaigne straight from the bottle.

I won't claim that it's been a while since I've been drunk. Hell that's about all I did in Mexico, but...it's been a while since I've gotten drunk without meaning to. I thought I was just grabbing a drink or two, taking advantage of the free booze...only to be sucker punched by the evening. When I got home, I ended up eating wings and fries from the chinese place on my corner and laughing uproariously at a Daily Show episode that I can no longer tell you a thing about. And of course the morning was something of a blur. Good times.

Anyway, several bands have been herralded as the next Neutral Milk Hotel, probably The Decemberists and The Arcade Fire most notably. And while the labels weren't completely without merit they generally meant either unconventional instrumentation and quirkiness (The Decemberist) or unbridled overpowering emotionalism (Arcade Fire)...but Rock Plaza Central is the first band I've heard that just tries the approach of ACTUALLY SOUNDING LIKE the band...of course those are big shoes to fill, and these guys aren't that good...but they do alright.