Pet Ghost Project is a three-piece indie rock group masterminded by multi-instrumentalist Justin Stivers and rounded out by pals Justin Gonzales and Jake More. Their MySpace page credits each musician with at least four instruments (counting vocals.) Amazingly, the group's sound is never overwhelmed by bombast, and most tracks shine with a heartfelt, bedroom recording quality. Because of this, their 2008 full-length Cheer Up ~ It's Raining was the subject of high praise on this very website.

How are they?

Not much has changed in the Pet Ghost Project sound over the past year, and that's a good thing. All five of these tracks could have fit onto Cheer Up ~ It's Raining. The one major difference is that the group sounds much more focused here, though there are still an overwhelming number of reference points in the music. You could point out the Built To Spill / Band of Horses type vocals; you could cite the overambitious rock of Portugal. The Man; you could even bring the Meat Puppets into the equation (specifically in the chorus of "The Consequence of Thinking".) The production is still nothing amazing, and the vocals are going to have to grow on you (but isn't that also true of all those bands I mentioned above?) The key focus here should be the songwriting. This is a group who knows they can't be pinpointed, and they love it. You'll love it too.

Tracklist:
01. I Am Nothing New (You Are Nothing Special)
02. Wires From The Ceiling
03. Short Name
04. The Consequence Of Thinking
05. This Life In A Bottle Rocket