Kelvin
Outsideagain Local fresh faces Kelvin step out swinging on their debut, Outsideagain, jumping on rock riffs like kids on their parents’ bed. “Billboard” begins loud and fast enough to catch the attention, echoing indie rock bands from the northwest corner of the country. There’s the Modest Mousey licks in “Solid,” plus the dramatic flair of Sunny Day Real Estate, but mostly, the overall tone and lyricism of 764-HERO. The production is raw but pretty, and once acclimated to singer Vincent Hagedorn’s eager delivery and long vowels, the vocals really stand out. Even on the gut-wrenching lyrics of “100,” Hagedorn convinces. The drums and bass are dense and propulsive, and the guitars work together in layered melodies that require very little soloing, but come off as lush nonetheless. They may not have found their own sound yet, but the one they’re using for now will do nicely. 
This article appears in June 7 • 2002.