The first thing I noticed when I put in New Leaf, the new EP from Minneapolis’ Grey Skies, was that it sounded a whole lot different than a lot of the local music I have been listening to lately. The straightforward sound on the disc is closer to that of modern rock radio than many of the Modern Radio-label bands that have taken the scene by storm as of late. In place of the lo-fi and garage rock sounds, that so many great bands in the city have come to use, is a more polished and refined sound that Grey Skies use to great effect. The band’s boozy, barreling, riff-heavy songs are well written and show a band that is both powerful and melodic. On the Queens of the Stone Age sounding “Trumpet Song,” the band combines muscular guitar and piano riffs with falling background vocals to create a stirring, potent song. And there are in fact some trumpets, including a solo passage in the middle of the song, which add yet another layer of depth to the track. Even though they are working in a genre that isn’t my favorite, I think Grey Skies did a great job with their new EP and created a strong batch of songs that have them carving their own niche in the local scene.

Grey Skies “Trumpet Song” (mp3)

Official | MySpace