Some folks have the ability to react so strikingly that your attention drifts away from the music to keeping an eye on what one person is going to do next. Anthony Green is one such individual. During Circa Survive's set at the Rock on the Range festival in Columbus last summer, the vocalist made for a weird, immensely captivating force. He would rattle his body like lightning was repeatedly striking him and roll his eyes into the back of his head as if someone was in the middle of performing an exorcism on him.  

Around the summer of 2009, Kristin Newborn launched Slothpop as a planned "side project" in which she was joined by Dan Zender and Lauren Eison. The band's name was a nod to "Sloth," a nickname Newborn earned for her admitted predilection for doing things at a laid-back pace. Slothpop would not stay an occasional distraction for long. Today, it's full-fledged Indianapolis-based band that includes Newborn, Eison, Zender, Bryan Unruh, Jeff Vyain and Drew Malott.  

'Love It To Life,' last April's debut from Jesse Malin and The St. Marks Social, is a record steeped in tribute. A major source of inspiration for Malin, a singer/guitarist best known for stints in now-defunct Punk bands D Generation and Heart Attack, was his rekindled love for J.D. Salinger and, by proxy, 'The Catcher in the Rye.' In 'Love It''s most prominent example, "The Archer" is spun off of Salinger's interest in sending love letters to females he only knew through magazines or television.  

At its most basic, Slothpop's sound is restrained Indie Pop. The arrangements are tempered and utilitarian in design, the melodies are sweetly sonorous but not overbearing and instruments move in and out with clockwork care. The overarching minimalism means you have to dig around for nuance and listen intently to soak it in. Slothpop's sound tends to not come to you; you have to get closer to it.  

At its most basic, Slothpop's sound is restrained Indie Pop. The arrangements are tempered and utilitarian in design, the melodies are sweetly sonorous but not overbearing and instruments move in and out with clockwork care. The overarching minimalism also means that you have to dig around for nuance and listen intently to soak it in. Slothpop's sound tends to not come to you; you have to get closer to it.  

Intentionally or otherwise, Malin & The St. Marks Social evoke the multi-hued instrumentation of The Clash, deftly working its way through hopeful gang chants, boisterous dance songs and chilled-out moments of introspection.  

Kepi Ghoulie, guitarist/singer of the Groovie Ghoulies, a now defunct Pop-Punk band, has put out two recent LPs under different names. Kepi and Friends' 'American Gothic' was a breezy, predominantly acoustic record, while Kepi the Band's 'Hanging Out' was an electric-heavy affair from his new, occasional band, which includes members of other Punk outfits like The Secretions and Helper Monkeys.  

In 2009, Kepi Ghoulie proved just how much of a lovable softy he really is. The guitarist/singer of the Groovie Ghoulies, a now defunct Pop-Punk band, screenprinted a pair of red and white Valentine's Day cards for sale through Asian Man Records. One had a whale gracing the front while the other featured a rat. Both images were cartoony, cheery and lovably dopey. On top of that, each card came with a CD featuring sparse, acoustic renditions of "Supermodel," an original, and "Kiss the Girl," a cover of the song from 'The Little Mermaid.'  

Let's clarify things by breaking down the primary differences between Here Come The Mummies and The Mummies. HCTM devote themselves to a carefully constructed blend of vigorous Funk and Rock & Roll whereas the semi-active Mummies spit out dilapidated Garage Punk. Everything sounds like a hi-fi parade to HCTM, with their flamboyant brass lines and meaty rhythms. HCTM's back-story paints them as rotting, 5000-year-old nomads who were rediscovered in a 1922 archeology dig and now roam the globe in search of "the ultimate riff."  

Here Come the Mummies devote themselves to a carefully constructed blend of vigorous Funk and Rock & Roll whereas the semi-active Mummies spit out dilapidated Garage Punk. Everything sounds like a hi-fi parade to HCTM, with their flamboyant brass lines and meaty rhythms; for The Mummies, dive bar clatter is king. HCTM's back-story paints them as rotting, 5000-year-old nomads who were rediscovered in a 1922 archeology dig and now roam the globe in search of “the ultimate riff.” The regular Mummies are just guys in a band.