[4/5] After years of spreading himself thin across countless projects (Thingy, Physics, Pinback, Goblin Cock, et al.), Rob Crow has resurrected the band that first put him on the indie-rock map-even if under a different name this time. Comprising all of Heavy Vegetable but singer Elea Tenuta, Other Men find Crow (now on bass and vocals), former HV bassist Travis Nelson (now on guitar) and drummer Manolo Turner returning to the deft, angular prog-pop that defined HV's mid-'90s heyday-and not sounding the least bit dated. Save for the six-minute "In This Wind," Wake Up Swimming's songs work off the same formula that was HV's calling card and that later resonated through followers such as Mock Orange, P.E.E. and We Versus The Shark: Sharp, spidery and mercifully short, with their melody and dexterity equal parts Minutemen and XTC. Too bad it's probably just another line in Crow's musical resume; it'd be cool to see this one stick around for a while. (ROBCORE) Aaron Burgess
 Official Website: http://www.robcorerecords.com
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