Vitamins

There used to be a shed in Greeley where indie bands would play. Yes, a fucking shed. I'm not sure how much the town has changed lately -- when's the last time you were there? -- but if Vitamins' eponymous EP is any indication, the manure and monotony have really taken their toll on the kids. Vitamins is a quartet of young Greeley citizens, and their five-song debut (produced by Constellations' Cory Brown) is an unkempt knot of sound, from Out Hud-inspired disco punk to Decembrists-style balladry to unabashed folk pop. But none of the songs sit still enough to be convincing counterfeits -- which, of course, is Vitamins' salvation. Instead of falling into a comfortable rut, the band strains at convention and attacks itself with jarring shifts and discordant riffs that somehow jell perfectly. Joy, weirdness, beauty and noise -- it's all here. Time to leave the proverbial shed, guys, and ransack Denver. This scene could use a healthy dose of Vitamins.