Ian Moore and his gang make such a grand noise it’s hard to believe they’re only a trio. Moore and bass player Matt Harris wrote this disc full of high-quality pop music that has a welcome dose of swagger.

All three players, including drummer Kyle Schneider, carry their share of musical weight, but Moore stands out as singer and guitarist responsible for carrying the melody. Resisting the urge to simply crunch through power chords or disconnected showy solos, he stays within the character of the song, whether it’s a Thin Lizzy-styled rocker like “Secondhand Store” or the ’70s Brit-pop of “Tap The Till.”

Though he follows glam rock bands like Roxy Music and their present day brethren like the Killers, Moore lands between the two, as though he were one of the better, more substantial musicians who had remained undiscovered until now.

This article originally appeared in VG‘s June ’11 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.