Despite deriving its name from a classic children's book, a quick listen should convince you that A Cricket In Times Square is in no way another twee band (and, you'll note, the acronym ACITS is much tougher sounding). Like the best groups of the shoegaze era, ACITS swathes its pop songs in a substantial, but not obliterating, layer of distortion. With ethereal vocals encircled by caustic, competing guitars, the Seattle quartet's songs guardedly confront post-adolescent ennui and frustration thru both sullen lyrics and the episodic tension present in the music.

Although the intricately layered sound is thanks to the band's lengthy recording and post-production efforts, and founders Michael Tyler and John Wood are more than just studio obsessives. Their unique sound is a rather specialized accomplishment (one Kevin Shields fans would surely appreciate), but they may have crafted the best album for attempting to puzzle out lyrics since Murmur.

Rolling Stone
{David Fricke, Feb 24, 2005}
"This twin-guitars band takes its inspiration from the echo-pedal impressionism of Ride, the Church and Sonic Youth. The blurred grandeur of theis debut is particularly impressive because the group cut it at a college radio station in Maryland."

MAGNET {Matthew Fritch, Jan/Feb 2005}
This Seattle band—named after a children's book(if you can get over Death Cab for Cutie, you can surely give Cricket a break)—leaves no guitar-effects pedal untouched on its debut. Coupled with smothered-in-the-fog vocals, Cricket could easily fall in with the shoegaze ranks; the dizzy-with-distortion quartet is substantially weirder, however, recalling a more pastoral Spacemen 3 or an even sloppier Galaxie 500.

PitchforkMedia {Chris Dahlen, Dec 12, 2004}
"Other effects-heavy guitar bands may be more psychedelic, outro or spastic, but by taking a straighter approach to their wall of sound they play to their strength: the gigantic melodies. The band's pedal fetish doesn't get in the way of songwriting, and each wash of noise yields a memorable tune."

recorded february—july 2003 at WMUC Studios.
recorded and mixed by sam chintha, matt welch, and ACITS.
mastered by mark guenther at seattle disc mastering.

artwork by john wood.
photography by michael tyler.