Atlas Genius

It was a typical car ride back home from high school, and was the beginning of May last year. I was mentally and physically exhausted from the typical onslaught of Pre-Ap homework and being around certain teenagers that drive me crazy. Zoned out and staring out the window, I turned to Alt Nation on Sirius XM radio to help keep my sanity.

The disc jockey announced that it would play a new song by a band from Australia called Atlas Genius. Praying it would be good so I wouldn't have to decide between switching to the predictable Kiss FM (gasp) or just turning the radio off, which was just as bad, I turned up the volume while in my hazy state of mind. 

I turned from teenage zombie to full alert by the soft and catchy drum backbeat with a sweet acoustic guitar rhythm just as light. It built up into a stronger, clearer drum beat with a bass that ties everything together. All the while, singer Keith Jeffrey's pleasant voice sings of metaphors on life and relationships. The song drifts into different phases of sounds but still using the same upbeat melody and flows flawlessly. I admit the summery bounce even brought a small grin to my sleepy face, and made my car ride a little more better.

After downloading the addictive track, I obsessively checked back iTunes for a complete album, and much to my dismay didn't find any more genius songs.

It was a little sad that such a band with extraordinary talent was so buried underground that I couldn't even get information on how the band formed or about a debut album.

Just today when searching the indie rockers online to glorify them in a post, I had come to discover that two more songs had been released four days before. In a small fit of excitement and slight frustration at myself for not knowing, I downloaded "Back Seat" and "Symptoms" off the album Atlas Genius.

I was a little surprised but not at all disappointed at the other two that leaned towards a more pop, Foster the People sound but still possessing the charm of indie rock that still strays far away from the likes of Katy Perry or Usher.

I will now be anxiously waiting for a complete album to complete a perfect summer playlist, and I hope that Atlas Genius will be big one day.... maybe even hit Kiss FM, you never know.

As always I will put "Trojans" but not the other two because I couldn't find them on Mixpod onto that extremely noticeable iPod in the corner.