Bat Manors

Literally Weird

Self-Released

Street: 06.27

Bat Manors = Fleet Foxes + Grizzly Bear + Band of Annuals

Bat Manors are the latest in the growing tradition of indie whisper-core bands from Provo with punny names who manage to transcend their silly titles with some really great songs. This album is definitely of the acoustic-led singer/songwriter variety, but most of these tracks have a warbly quality that reminds me of Sigur Rós, if they were a little less ambitious.

Each of the songs is based around singer and guitarist Adam Klopp, with various instruments and vocal harmonies coming in and out to help build his fragile compositions into something grand and beautiful. It’s a rare thing for a debut album to be this consistently great—with any luck, Bat Manors are going to be a prominent force in local music for a long time. They’re the band Utah deserves, but not the one it needs right now … or something. –Alex Gilvarry