Guards - In Guards We Trust (2013)

The 2013 full-length debut of the New York City trio Guards, In Guards We Trust, is a hooky and trippy offering, with psychedelic synths and effects swirling over churning, muddy guitars, all laid over an anthem rock songwriting base. "Ready to Go," with its shout-along chorus, is sports-venue-ready; "Not Supposed To" is a subtler, more conversational track until its own soaring, singalong chorus; and the dance-inducing "I Know It's You" ("Oh, there's a girl I love/And she's coming home with me") is at a minimum hummable throughout, as is the vast majority of the album. While reverb is key in the sound of In Guards We Trust, big, anthem climaxes are king.~In Guards We Trust Review by Marcy Donelson