Indie psych rockers A Cricket in Times Square blaze a wide swath of feedback and demonstrate considerable improvisational ingenuity on their self-titled debut. While there's a definite heavy music vibe going on ("Blood from Heaven"), their sound also encompasses elements of shoegaze and experimental rock; the atmospheric ballad "Mourning Son" even somewhat resembles recent Yo La Tengo (circa And Then the Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out). A characteristic artifact of the recording is its reverberant acoustic, which gives plenty of bounce and resonance to the group vocals on "Careless" and endless ping to the incisive guitar leads on "5-Minute Hallway." There's a certain exuberance here that's also appealing; ACiTS rock out with abandon on "Everything Known about Medicines" and create an engaging long-form jam on "Outliving Your Shadow." Heady stuff. - Christian Carey