Accordion Crimes

Before nerds took over the world, they weren't so meek. Watch almost any '80s nerd-centric movie, Revenge of the Nerds included: Some were mild-mannered, but just as many were horny, twisted and even downright aggressive. Denver's nerdy Accordion Crimes — featuring former members of the defunct Hot IQs and the overlooked but still rocking Raleigh — fall squarely in the latter camp. The group's debut EP, A Higher Quality Version of This, bears all the telltale marks of indie rock, the nerd's music of choice. But beyond the jarring, melodic guitars and stuffy-nosed vocals is a streak of frustration and wiry muscle that imbues the disc's five songs with a vicious edge and propels the group into a whole other realm of supreme geekitude. This is real revenge — and it tastes fucking sweet.