Akron

As ever, with Akron/Family, this year does deserve to be theirs. Set ‘Em Wild might not live up to Love Is Simple, but then very few albums could.

Akron are a hairsbreadth away from being a truly great band and Love is Simple is another indication of how far they've come.

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Yeah, they like traditional song structures, but only up to a point. Basically, that's been done and so they want to make the listening experience more complex, more challenging. Think Radiohead. Think Califone.