The Speed Of Sound

Museum Of Tomorrow

Big Stir Records

If Liz Phair was a jangle popper and wrote sci-fi, she would be the Speed Of Sound. It's in the emotional honesty of their lyrics, deadpan singing, and the ability to rock out with a lot of common sense.

The album concept is how the future informs the past and the past informs the future. Each song is an exhibit in this museum, all meant to be taken together. The lyrics say so much about the past and the future, how sci-fi that was made in the past really was the future--the 60s Star Trek is a great example of that--and that the future need not be dark and scary. If done right, everything will be okay.

“The Day The Earth Caught Fire” is an example of that, about climate change. It could mean the end of the world, but if fought properly and tamed, the result will be great. It's catchy and melodic, like all the modern jangle pop on this album, and wonderful.

If you want a rather quirky, but great concept album, Museum Of Tomorrow is for you, for its smartness, toughness, wisdom, and futuristic jangle influenced by the world around it.

Andrea Weiss