The Appleseed Cast

This Lawrence, Kansas-based indie-rock group doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. Originally a clone of every late-'90s guitar-heavy, angst-driven emo outfit, the Appleseed Cast has seen more stylistic changes than it has drummers (three or four at last count, depending on whom you talk to). After seven releases, the quartet has moved from tragedy-laden post-hardcore to dense, highly complex progressive rock to a one-off wispy, ethereal experiment — which led to its short-lived implosion — back to a re-embrace of its grungy, emo-rock roots. Through it all, singer/guitarist Christopher Crisci and fellow guitarist Aaron Pillar have kept plugging away, never minding the confused, WTF looks from their fans or the critics who can't seem to keep up. Their latest, Sagarmatha, is loaded with instrument-heavy tracks that suggest the Appleseed Cast has again found new and fertile ground.