Texas Platters

The Story Of

Until the Autumn

The history behind Until the Autumn reads like a script for a made-for-TV movie: five friends from Athens, Ohio, relocate to Austin, then, after 2007's The World's Affair, write and record their fourth album on the banks of the Colorado River – in a cabin owned by Maryann Price no less. Thankfully, Until the Autumn makes a fine soundtrack. Passive and pastoral, the local quintet writes heavily textured, piano-based indie pop that, in standouts such as "Berkeley" and "Hawk Gospel," lands between Ben Gibbard's Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie. The vibe throughout is incessantly positive, largely due to the sensitive resolve of singer Christman Hersha, whose soft touch cushions "Veterans Day" and "The Flock." Most impressive is the way the Story Of manages to explore organic and religious themes without ever sounding too far-reaching or cliché. Consider this New Sincerity for the Garden State generation.