Vices I Admire

The bio for this band, which headlines a December 17 CD-release party at Bender's Tavern, mingles hardscrabble tales with two admissions: "We have been likened to Pearl Jam, Incubus, Korn" and "We probably sound like some of them." Plan B., which is both Vices I Admire's previous moniker and the title of its new disc, confirms the accuracy of these statements even as it offers hope that the players will ultimately outgrow them.

Guitarist Mickey, drummer Mark, singer Dave and bassist Rob (no last names, please) display their versatility throughout tunes such as "Skin," in which whisper-to-a-yowl dynamics build persuasively over nearly six minutes. Although these techniques are nothing new, the energetic performances justify overlooking their familiarity, at least this time around.

The future's another matter, but it's a good sign that the men of Vices don't deny the derivative aspects of Plan B. Recognizing an issue is the first step toward addressing it.