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Dulls Dulls S T EP Reviewed by Joseph Murphy In recent years, psych, shoegaze and 90s-era indie rock have all been revisited, dismantled, and rebuilt but, every now and then, a band emerges from the wash with a refreshing take on the sound, recalling more than their idols� guitar tones and teen angst. With their self-titled EP, out on limited tapes this past January, Philadelphia, PA�s Dulls treads some new ground over the course of four long-for-pop songs � hazy, doleful rock that recalls some current favorites and many past heavy rotations. Though peers have often taken alternate routes, Dulls explores the subtler side � minimalist rather than maximalist (think Galaxie 500 or Black Tambourine) � and it works well for them as they, in turn, favor inventive structure and the natural voices of their instruments over oblique noise washes. Of course, Dulls is still willing to unleash a lead that drips with reverb and delay, but, as a whole, they pace themselves, welcoming punk bite and ps...

Dulls Moon Violet Reviewed by Joseph Murphy. On last year�s self-titled debut (reviewed here), Philadelphia�s Dulls took a lighter touch to both their shoegaze and alternative-era leanings; they preferred, it seemed, to let space between voicings develop the theme throughout. But on this year�s Moon Violet, the band puts guitar-centered hooks at the forefront, channeling their grittier predecessors of the DIY genres � even with standout-track, �New Dream,� which, in other hands, might be a slow-burner but builds, here, to a dense pay off in the chorus that�s deserving of an angry sing-along. Moon Violet is another promising step for Dulls, exploring similar terrain as their debut while taking a few risks along the way � perhaps, in part, thanks to recording and mixing by John Ceparano of The Stargazer Lilies, whose own albums value similar balances between lush passages and the very human slide of the fingers across guitar strings. The opening track, �View,� feels familiar from the sta...